Folsom, Calif. – (May 30, 2024) – SAFE Credit Union recently awarded a $20,000 grant to the Health Education Council to grow its multilingual Building Better Financial Futures Program – giving hundreds in the Greater Sacramento area the tools and resources to better utilize their personal finances.
The program offers introductory banking workshops to both adults and high school students in English, Farsi, Russian, Spanish and Ukrainian and also provides participants with $100 stipends to encourage and support them in opening up their own savings accounts.
Building Better Financial Futures facilitator leads a workshop on “Personal Budgeting”
The program, kicked off in March is offered by the Health Education Council to residents who live in Amador, Butte, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Sutter and Yuba county communities. Many eligible participants are either new to the country or living in underserved areas.
“One of the things that we oftentimes see are folks who will hold on to their money,” says Health Education Council Program Director Patricia Parra, explaining that many people the council supports do not trust financial institutions.
“There have been some unfortunate situations where people have lost all of their money or they are heavily utilizing check cashing systems or payday loans,” she says. “Through this grant and our program, we are better equipped to empower people to securely save and grow their money.”
Health Education Council Program Director Patricia Parra
In addition to learning about establishing a savings account, the program teaches attendees about budgeting, credit, debit cards, fraud prevention, home loans, life insurance, retirement and setting personal financial goals.
A not-for-profit credit union, SAFE shares profits with its members through dividends and low interest loan rates as well as by providing community grants.
“Knowing the ‘ins and outs’ of banking is essential in everyone’s journey to not only achieve and maintain financial freedom but to reduce stress and improve health,” says SAFE Credit Union Vice President Community Relations and Financial Education Rebecca Delmundo, who oversees the grant program.
SAFE Credit Union VP Community Relations and Financial Education Rebecca Delmundo
“Our grant committee was inspired by the Health Education Council’s efforts to bring these key components of health and financial education together to help improve the wellbeing of those new to the United States or living in often underserved areas within our communities,” Delmundo says.
Based in South Sacramento, the Health Education Council provides resources to improve health outcomes to residents living in underserved neighborhoods through empowerment and partnerships. The nonprofit serves more than 100,000 people each year.
SAFE provides grant funding in four cycles each year. Get more information on the latest cycle’s focus and application.
For more information about the Health Education Council visit their website.
For additional information email [email protected].
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About SAFE
SAFE Credit Union has made members an integral part of its vision since 1940. Over the years the credit union has kept the focus on what really matters, putting members first, a formula that has seen SAFE grow into a leading financial institution in Northern California with $4.6 billion in assets and about 236,000 members. SAFE crafts every cutting-edge product and sterling service with members’ needs foremost in mind. In addition to banking services conveniently available through online, chat, mobile, or phone options, SAFE offers in-person services for members and small businesses at service centers across the Greater Sacramento region. SAFE is a not-for-profit, state-chartered credit union with membership open to businesses and individuals living or working in Sacramento, Placer, Yolo, El Dorado, Sutter, Butte, Nevada, Solano, San Joaquin, Contra Costa, Yuba, Amador, and Alameda counties. Insured by NCUA. www.safecu.org