Money Matters is an online program in which participants can build or expand their knowledge of financial topics that are critical to individuals with low or moderate income: personal financial strengths and behavior, budgeting, debt-management, saving, credit-building, health insurance, retirement planning, and others. Five of the modules are available in Spanish. Here is the impact from 2023.
During the third year of this program partnership with Forward Careers, in 2023, there were 23 individuals who completed the Money Matters Program as the financial educational component of the Work N Wheels zero interest vehicle loan program. This effort is designed to improve the success of Work ‘N Wheels program participants in maintaining timely payments so they have transportation to access employment and improve their credit score. In addition, West Bend ranks in the top ten of Wisconsin cities with the most engaged Money Matters website total visits as of May 2023.
Planning AHEAD (Advance directives, Handling financial changes, Estate Planning and Arriving at Decisions for the end of this life) is a seven-session program that helps participants create a comprehensive end-of-life plan for themselves and/or a loved one. The goals are to help participants create plans that reflect their wishes and to help those who lose loved ones to have the information they need to successfully transition after losing a close family member. Here is the impact from 2023.
In 2023, Carol co-facilitated two Planning AHEAD 7-session series with the Washington County ADRC Elder Benefits Specialist. Forty-four adults participated, with over 224 total educational contacts. The post-course evaluations (n= 29) indicate: 100% of the participants stated they learned enough to move forward with planning; over 87% said that they felt more confident in having conversations with loved ones related to end-of-life wishes and knowing where to find reliable resources for more information on end-of-life planning. One participant stated: “I have already recommended this workshop to many friends and colleagues, regardless of their age. I’m so grateful to have had this opportunity and so grateful for the people I met as a result.” And, another participant, “I came into this course with a relatively good idea of my plans for the future. This course reinforced my ideas and offered new ideas and perspectives. I’m glad I attended the course.”
