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Sammie’s Blog- Financial Education During Covid-19

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By Samantha Walker, AmeriCorps Family Services Coordinator

Here at Habitat MontDelco our mission is pretty simple- we bring people together to build homes, communities and hope. One of our core programs where our mission shines bright is Almost Home.

Almost Home is our financial empowerment program, and it consists of several weeks’ worth of classes that cover topics ranging from budgeting, credit & debt to investing, saving, all the way to home-buying tips. It’s free and open to anyone- whether you own 10 houses or none. Almost Home started at Habitat MontDelco about 5 years ago and continues to evolve and grow with each session.

These financial literacy classes help participants to form a strong foundation of sustainable financial habits. Some who have completed Almost Home have even said that it was a necessary life-refresher for them! Along with providing a baseline of financial knowledge, we have seen many participants graduate the program to become homeowners with the financial security to pay bills and have savings for emergencies.

Now more than ever, having the financial knowledge that leads to financial stability is more important than ever before.

To safely complete the fall program, we transitioned to a virtual platform. Participants and teachers logged on their computers from the comfort of their homes for a few hours each week and learned the same material they would have in-person. We even had our highest sign-up rate with this virtual session!

Becoming completely virtual, losing the sense of community that is typically seen in our in-person class was a worry for us. To our surprise, by the end of our eight weeks together we realized that comradery is still achievable. People are supportive, kind, and willing to lend a hand no matter if you gather in-person or through a video call.

During our virtual graduation ceremony, everyone had the opportunity to participate in a restorative circle, a practice we do during each cohort. This allows the group to share their experiences gained from the class and its rippling effects on their life. It was clear how impactful the course had been on each individual, as well as how strong the sense of community- was even though nobody had met in-person. One of our participants even suggested coming together when it’s safe to do so to volunteer with Habitat as a way to give back and to meet each other in person.

The final step in Almost Home is being paired with a volunteer financial coach. Coaches work with participants one-on-one for a year after graduation, and sometimes longer, to work through their individual financial situation. Participants and coaches are able to form strong relationships and often times they not only work through finances, but act as a support system for each other- a person to call in times of need or for advice.

Recently, a graduate from one of our first Almost Home classes bought her first home through Habitat MontDelco. When receiving her keys, she spoke of her financial coach, who is now more like a family member, calling her a “guardian angel” for helping her navigate both her finances and life over the past few years.

Do you want to get involved with Almost Home? Click here to volunteer as a financial coach Click here for more information on our next class – beginning this January!

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