Helping Women Help Themselves

Helping Women Help Themselves Fall 2018 From our Founding Mothers Hello Fall! We re excited to enter our 9th year with many new program opportunities that stretch from Lowell to Lawrence, Haverhill, Boston, Sudbury, and Nashua. As we grow our geographic footprint, we are also expanding demographically adding an innovative program for at-risk teens called Girl s LIFE. (See separate article.) This highly interactive curriculum, based on a year s worth of research and focus groups, will help us prepare young women to take their first steps toward financial independence. Welcome to Ren Workman, an AmeriCorps Ambassador of Mentoring provided by the Mass Mentoring Partnership, who will lead the three Girl s LIFE pilot programs planned for the coming year. Welcome, also, to Linda Loeuth Chhor, a new coaching coordinator for programs in Lawrence and Haverhill, and to Marci Shyavitz, a second program coordinator for programs in Boston. We are very pleased, as well, that Bernadette Wheeler, who became a coaching coordinator last year, will also serve as our volunteer coordinator going forward. When we launched Budget Buddies eight years ago from Kathy's family room, we never imagined that it would grow into the thriving organization that it is today. An incredible network of volunteers, community partners, and supporters has allowed us to reach hundreds of low-income women in communities across Eastern Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. We are so proud of, and incredibly grateful for these accomplishments and the help we ve received from every corner. To prepare for the truly amazing opportunities that lie ahead, we will be retiring as Executive Director and Director of Operations in the summer of 2019 and have started to search for a new Executive Director who can take Budget Buddies to the next level. Backed by our many supporters, we know that we will leave Budget Buddies in the capable hands of a uniquely qualified and enthusiastic leader and a passionate and highly qualified staff. We count you among those supporters and are committed to keeping you informed as this next chapter for Budget Buddies unfolds. Thanks, as always. Anita and Kathy A start to something new: Budget Buddies launches Teen Program By Ren Workman See page 2 >> Jennifer: From Buddy to Presenter By Katie Neville See page 3 >> Sponsor Spotlight: The MFA Companies By Lisa Whittemore, MFA Partner See page 4 >> 1

Haverhill Programs Growing! A start to something new: Budget Buddies launches Teen Program By Ren Workman A big congratulations to the graduates of our latest program at Emmaus shelter in Haverhill. We are eager to run more programs in Haverhill, but need more coaches. Help us spread the word! Budget Buddies Staff Anita Saville Executive Director Kathy Brough Director of Operations Katie Neville Senior Operations Manager Katie Stoll Senior Program Manager Julie Lemire Senior Coaching Coordinator Bernadette Wheeler Coaching Coordinator and Volunteer Coordinator Linda Loeuth Chhor Coaching Coordinator Kaitie Chakoian-Lifvergren Regional Program Coordinator, Boston Marci Shyavitz Regional Program Coordinator, Boston Catherine Pedemonti Grant Specialist Budget Buddies Board Cathy Jenkins, President Nancy Coan Rebekah Dufrene Brenda Gould Susan Graves Darlene Hagan Anne Muita Nicole Nguyen Todd Smith Sean Spaulding Robin Toof Over the next year, Budget Buddies will launch three pilots for our new program, Girl s LIFE (Learning Independence through Financial Literacy). Girl s LIFE is designed to apply our financial literacy and empowerment curriculum to a teen audience. We strongly believe that teaching young women core financial principles when they are on the cusp of independent financial lives is essential to the full economic empowerment for women in adulthood. This year, we will be running Girl s LIFE programs in our target areas of Lowell, Lawrence, and Boston. Our first program will be with our longtime partner, the YWCA ortheastern Massachusetts and their Teen Parenting Program (TPP) in Lawrence. The pilot, which is designed specifically for at-risk young women ages 15-20, will use college-age coaches who are passionate about helping other young women reach their goals. Migdalia Joubert, TPP s Director, says that she is super excited to be [our] Beta site, and can t wait to begin. Susan McNeff, Director of Marketing and Corporate Relations at the YWCA says, We are thrilled once again to partner with Budget Buddies and bring their Girls LIFE program to our TPP residents at YWCA Fina House. The program is marvelously comprehensive and they've taken care to ensure that it is interactive, fun and educational regarding how to manage personal financial information and goals. As an AmeriCorps Ambassador of Mentoring provided by the Mass Mentoring Partnership, I will serve as the Girl s LIFE Program Coordinator. I am a recent graduate from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where I earned my Bachelor s Degree in Cultural Anthropology and Environmental Studies. With a passion for women s empowerment and youth development, I am excited to serve as the Program Coordinator. And we re thrilled to have her, says Budget Buddies Senior Program Manager Katie Stoll. I spent most of my college experience learning about ways to make change in communities, and now I get to put all of that knowledge into practice. I couldn t be more thankful for this opportunity to help young women and to be with such an incredible organization for my service year. For 10 weeks, the Girl s LIFE buddies and coaches will meet with me for 1.5 hours. The first portion of these meetings will be spent learning the topic of that week, such as Hack: Banking Uncovered and Supercharge Your Confidence: The Art of Negotiation, while the second portion will be reserved for one-on-one time between coaches and buddies. In addition to financial education, the workshops also focus on increasing confidence and cultivating meaningful relationships. Jeanne D Arc Credit Union will help with presentations about banking and credit. Interested in being a Girl s LIFE coach or know someone else who might be? We re looking for women ages 21-30 who are excited to make an impact on the lives of local teens. We ask for a two-hour commitment per week for three months. If you can help, please send an email to workman@budgetbuddies.org. We look forward to hearing from you! 2

Graduation in Boston! Jennifer: From Buddy to Presenter By Katie Neville When Jennifer Sanchez entered the Budget Buddies program with the Lowell Housing Authority in 2015, she was not consistently tracking her expenses or putting away money for savings. She came into the program with the hope of tackling her debt and achieving her financial goals. Just three years later, Jennifer has not only accomplished a tremendous amount personally, but she has returned to Budget Buddies as a workshop presenter. Proud of the determined women who graduated from our first program with Women s Lunch Place in Boston. As always, a big thank you to the volunteer coaches and presenters who make each program possible! Do you have a tablet that you no longer use? In reflecting on her experience as a buddy in the Budget Buddies program, Jennifer highlighted the relationship she had built with her coach Nada. The benefit of the Budget Buddies program, said Jennifer, was understanding how to create a budget and having a clear idea of what my goals were and how I could reach those goals. She appreciated how Budget Buddies made her examine her spending habits, in particular food shopping: I didn t realize I was wasting so much money food shopping To me, my kids need to eat snacks, but realizing cutting back on expensive snacks and buying fruit instead could save me a lot of money. Over time, just evaluating what I was buying saved me money. Since completing the Budget Buddies program, Jennifer has worked tirelessly to achieve her goals. While working two jobs, she managed to complete all the coursework necessary and graduated with her Associates Degree last year. At the same time, she successfully purchased a house for her family. We re seeking donations of tablets to integrate into our program for client and volunteer intake, program evaluation, and within the curriculum itself, especially for our new Girl's LIFE teen program. Please let us know if you have a tablet you can contribute. Thanks for considering! Jennifer now works at Jeanne D Arc Credit Union, and this fall returned to Budget Buddies as a presenter. Shirley Geen, our program leader for this fall s program with Lowell Housing Authority reported: She gave a truly motivational presentation on credit. Jennifer shared with the group that she was a buddy in one of the first programs that Budget Buddies ran and so she could relate to them on a very personal level. All through her presentation she gave information on how she was personally able to repair her credit. She talked about contacting collection agencies and utilities. She related how she contacted credit reporting agencies about errors. I personally found it amazing and I know our buddies did too! We are truly grateful to Jennifer for coming back to share her experiences, and look forward to having her join us for many more programs! Connect with Us! Connect with Budget Buddies on LinkedIn. Share about your volunteer experience, and help spread awareness about Budget Buddies! 3

Help us find our next fearless leader! Sponsor Spotlight: The MFA Companies By Lisa Whittemore, MFA Partner Do you know someone with the passion and experience to take Budget Buddies to the next level? Find the full executive director job posting on our website (www.budgetbuddies.org). Budget Buddies on the front page! The MFA Companies, headquartered in Tewksbury, MA, is a national business consulting and financial advisory firm serving high-growth, entrepreneurial organizations and individuals. We offer distinct and impactful solutions that separate conventionally run businesses from forward-looking, strategic enterprises. We offer tax, audit, consulting and other traditional accounting solutions, but the real value we provide to our customers extends well beyond the scope of these deliverables as we work to ensure their organization is in its most advantageous position strategically, financially and operationally. Involvement in the Community MFA has always been strongly committed to supporting our community. Care For Our Community is one of our Core Values and part of what has drawn many of our new members and new applicants to seek employment at the Firm. MFA has a formal Community Outreach Program through which we carefully select nonprofits within the Merrimack Valley that align with the Firm s mission including organizations such as Budget Buddies, The Center for Hope and Healing, Habitat for Humanity, House of Hope, Operation Delta Dog, The Wish Project and Bellisini Academy. Each of the nonprofits we support serve individuals in our community who have experienced trauma, a serious hardship, or come from a disadvantaged situation. Through the support, collective expertise and commitment of our firm and its members, we help these individuals realize their envisioned futures. Did you catch the feature article about Budget Buddies in The Lowell Sun? A great interview with co-founders Kathy and Anita, as well as graduates from our program from House of Hope. You can find it pinned on our Facebook page. Budget Buddies chosen for... Why The MFA Companies Supports Budget Buddies In addition to financial sponsorship, MFA has been incredibly supportive of my volunteer work with Budget Buddies. I have been a part of the Budget Buddies organization since 2013. I have had the privilege to serve as a Coach, Program Leader and Workshop Presenter. Budget Buddies aligns well with MFA s mission and goal of helping individuals attain their goals. The hard work and dedication that each Buddy puts in over a six-month program equates to exponentially tangible results for the Buddies and their families in terms of enhanced financial growth and knowledge, increased self-esteem and, most importantly, independence. MFA is proud to support such an impactful program.... Eastern Bank's 2018 Targeted Grants To Advance Women! 4

Bilingual Coaches Needed We have requests from agencies in Lawrence to run our program in Spanish, but need additional bilingual coaches to do so. Do you know anyone who might be interested in filling this role? Come Celebrate with Us! As we look forward to many new adventures, we re planning three exciting ways to celebrate Budget Buddies in the coming year. Please save the dates! Join our event committee! LUNAFEST LOWELL Friday evening, March 8, 2019 at UTEC Help us make LUNAFEST 2019 a smashing success! Give us a call at 978-703-0820 to learn more about what we need and how you can help. Funding from our Hometown! Building on two successful years of honoring women through film, our third LUNAFEST will feature another provocative series of short documentaries. Come early for a reception and silent auction that has something for everyone. Other surprises at intermission. LUNAFEST was established in 2000 by LUNA, Makers of the Whole Nutrition Bar for Women to simultaneously promote women filmmakers, raise awareness for women s issues and support worthy women s nonprofit organizations. LUNAFEST BOSTON March 2019 (exact date and location to be determined) Grateful to the Chelmsford Community Fund, under the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, for providing Budget Buddies one of their first grants! Wonderful to see this new fund created to support causes in our hometown! Support this Newsletter Advertise with us to reach a great group of community-minded individuals! For more information, contact Katie at k.neville@budgetbuddies.org Our Boston supporters will have their chance to view the 2019 LUNAFEST lineup, too, with their own showing. Watch our website, Facebook page, and Twitter feed for more details. TENTH ANNIVERSARY PARTY Friday evening, June 21, 2019 In 2009, Budget Buddies Founders Kathy Brough and Anita Saville began talking to friends, neighbors, and just about anyone who else who would listen about a financial education program for low-income women. Ten years later, Budget Buddies is a robust, multi-community organization fully committed to helping all women control their economic futures. We hope you will join us to look back on our many successes, look ahead at the work still to do, and thank Anita and Kathy for their many efforts on behalf of low-income women and girls. 5

Budget Buddies 114 Turnpike Rd., 2D Chelmsford, MA 01824 Fall 2018 Look What's Happening at Budget Buddies! newsletter Inside: A start to something new: Budget Buddies launches Teen Program Jennifer: From Buddy to Presenter Sponsor Spotlight: The MFA Companies Come Celebrate with Us! We envision a world in which all women are financially empowered.