GOAL: Community members learn skills to become financially independent.
SUCCESS STORY
WENDY IS A SINGLE MOM and started attending a local college. She had to reduce her hours from full- to part-time in order to complete her diploma. She anticipated the loss of income and tried to save money ahead of time, but even the best-laid plans don’t always go perfectly. Luckily, she was able to take advantage of a local childcare scholarship program so her son could continue to stay at his quality childcare program. Wendy could spend her money on food and clothes instead of childcare; and her son was able to stay with his caregivers during a difficult period in their lives where she couldn’t spend as much time with him as she’d like. Programs like this helped Wendy make a better life for her family!
LOCAL RESULTS
- 517 copies of age appropriate books about money were distributed in 2019 by the Financial Stability Coalition.
- 945 enTouch applications were distributed in 2018. This is a free cell phone service for low income individuals.
- 106 tax filers in south Wood and Adams Counties used MyFreeTaxes to file for free, in 2019 receiving an average refund of $1,358.
Source: Financial Stability Coalition, United Way of South Wood & Adams Counties, Financial Stability Coalition
SUPPORTING INFORMATION
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34% of Wood County households are ALICE, or not earning enough to cover the basic cost of living. In Adams County, that number is 54%.
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During a 2018 Financial Stability Community Survey, 72% of the respondents said they had never learned to manage money.
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During the same survey, 28% said they would be interested in learning how to get out of debt.
Source: United Way of Wisconsin ALICE Report 2018, Financial Stability Coalition, Financial Stability Coalition
