ISSUE
11: September 16, 2008
Using
Technology to Advance People Economically
Financial
Access Program Opens in Eight Communities
Living
on the Living Allowance
Financial
Tips to Help You through Your AmeriCorps Term of Service
Using
Technology to Advance People Economically
By
Holly Kalemeris
VISTA Leader, One Economy
Winston-Salem, NC
During
my first year as a VISTA, I was assigned to the AccessAll Program,
which is a partnership between AT&T, One Economy, and Habitat
for Humanity. The AccessAll program offers a free computer and two
years of free AT&T Internet service to all Habitat for Humanity
homeowners who qualified for the program.
Giving
Access: Holly with homeowners and volunteers at a computer
installation for new Habitat for Humanity homeowners in Tulsa, Okla.,
in December 2007.
My
service assignment was to build the capacity of Habitat for Humanity
affiliates by developing resources within their organization to implement
the AccessAll program. This included recruiting volunteers to install
computers in the Habitat homes. Also, I set up computer classes at
Habitat for Humanity, and I recruited volunteers to teach and assist
these classes. As a VISTA Leader, I support One Economy’s VISTA
program and The Hive, a charter school in Windsor, N.C., that focuses
on recovery for hard-to-reach students.
Since its founding in 2000, One Economy has worked to maximize the
potential of technology to help low-income people improve their lives
and enter the economic mainstream, which means joining the rest of
the world with the technical tools and resources needed to survive
successfully. We use innovative approaches to deliver the power of
technology and information to low-income people, connecting them to
valuable tools for building better lives.
One Economy differs from other finance-focused programs by offering
people technology solutions as a means to succeed economically. While
providing the technology tools such as a computer and Internet access
to low-income families, One Economy also provides resources such as
www.theBeeHive.org,
which has financial education and tools such as a free tax tool, budget
builder, financial coaching, free credit reports and home buying guidance.
I was immediately drawn to One Economy due to their unique approach
to combating poverty. While service has always been a part of my life,
I never realized the power of technology when it comes to someone's
ability to escape poverty. I was also impressed by more than 50 communities
across the country that One Economy works in and the freedom I had
to choose a location for my service. I decided to serve initially
as a Summer Associate to get to know the program and then take on
a year of service as a VISTA. I was empowered by what I was able to
accomplish through this program, and I gladly took on yet another
year as a VISTA Leader for One Economy.
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Financial
Access Program Opens in Eight Communities
An
initiative of the U.S. Treasury Department, the Community Financial
Access Pilot, is a program that brings together financial institutions,
community organizations and government agencies to share resources
and address financial needs in low-to-moderate income communities.
Program organizers hope other communities will use the Pilot as a
model to start programs of their own.
Currently, the program operates in the following communities:
Brownsville, TX
Fresno, CA
Cowlitz County, WA
Philadelphia, PA
Eastern Kentucky
Jacksonville, FL
Mississippi Delta Region, MS
St. Louis, MO
“All the communities are different,” said Naomi Vernon,
community consultant with the Pilot. “When we go into a community,
we try to identify all the organizations—community-based, non-profits,
faith-based and financial institutions—any entity that offers
a service or product to the low-income community. The initial meeting
outcome and need of the community drives the structure of the program.”
For example, Brownsville, TX, community partners decided to focus
on individual debts through small dollar loan and account programs
and financial education. St. Louis already had resources in place,
but the program united them. In the Mississippi Delta, the program
partners with Head Start to assist parents in financial education
and saving for college. Trainings are available to VISTAs through
this initiative as well as the FDIC’s 10 regional offices.
As for VISTAs who do not work with a finance- or asset-building project,
Louisa Mittlegluck Quittman, director of the Pilot, said that “financial
education is most effectively delivered when it’s part of another
program.” Helpful links to financial education curricula and
organizations for VISTAs’ personal and program use are listed
below.
Please contact VISTA Outreach at VISTAOutreach@cns.gov
if you are interested in starting a Community Financial Access program
in your area or have further questions for VISTA’s partners
at the Pilot program.
Consumers: http://Mymoney.gov
Program information: click
here
FDIC’s Money Smart program: click
here
Consumer Credit Union Association resources: click
here
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Living
on the Living Allowance
Perhaps it sounds a little easier than it is. VISTAs work hard for
their living allowance. But how can they make their living allowance
work hard for them too?
Visit the VISTA
Campus.
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Financial
Tips to Help You through Your AmeriCorps Term of Service
by Greg Heinrich, AmeriCorps Alum
 |
AmeriCorps
Alums understands that many members face financial challenges
during their term of service, and that is why we offer alumni
and current members valuable cost-saving opportunities through
our online community. Every dollar you save is one you can use
to help pay the bills at the end of the month. Two of these dollar-saving
opportunities are noted below: |
1) Bank
of America’s Keep the Change Program
(available late September,
2008)
- Keep
the Change is an innovative banking product enabling your customers
to save while making everyday purchases
- Debit
card purchases are rounded up to the next whole dollar with the
difference transferred into a Bank of America savings account
- Bank
of America matches your savings— (100% for first 3 months;
15% annually thereafter)
-
You receive your own personalized AmeriCorps Alums debit card and
checks with AmeriCorps Alums logo
For
more information about this opportunity, please click
here.
2)
Free
Federal and State Tax Return Filing
- Through
a unique partnership with One Economy, all AmeriCorps alumni and
current AmeriCorps members can file their federal and state tax
returns at no cost
- If
you make under $54,000, you can securely access our tax preparation
tool-powered by H&R Block- and file your returns in less than
an hour
- That’s a $49.95 value provided at no-cost to you
-
In 2008, alumni and current members used the tool to claim nearly
$1.5 million in federal and state tax refunds
-
The 2009 version will be available in early January, 2009
For
more information about this opportunity, please click
here.
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Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What is the Viewfinder?
A: VISTA means view-looking out on a broad expanse. The viewfinder, a toy that all generations of VISTAs recognize, was a kind of binocular that focused on points of interest, highlights, and snapshots in living color. The VISTA Viewfinder surveys in the landscape and zeroes in on service.
Q. Why the Viewfinder?
A. Here’s your direct link to connecting with other VISTAs, learning what they are doing, and helping to spread the message of VISTA and national service!
Q. How can I contribute?
A.
Have a story to tell? Submission ideas? Contact vistaoutreach@cns.gov.
Use the Viewfinder to highlight your VISTA service and share your
experiences with others across the country!
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