COMMUNITY ACTION SERVICES AND FOOD BANK INC

We provide homebuyer education and one-on-one pre-purchase counseling to help families prepare for homeownership. We also have a financial learning center, focused on providing financial instruction and coaching for very low-income families and families on budgeting, savings, building credit, and eliminating debt. 312 households participated in at least one of our financial literacy classes or our homebuyer education classes in FY2024.

The Circles Youth Development Program is focused on helping youth become successful in adulthood. This includes learning about healthy relationships, finances, and life skills! Our goals are to help teens: -Create financially centered SMART goals -Create a 5-year plan that includes graduating from high school -Open up a savings account by program’s end if they do not have one already Teens will have a better understanding of financial concepts by program’s end The healthy relationship discussion will include the topics of consent, boundaries, and communication

Circles has two goals: (1) to help individuals and families get out of poverty and (2) to remove the barriers that keep people in poverty. Our success depends upon building strong connections to people and resources within our community. We teach financial skills, soft skills, and communication skills, as well as provide individualized coaching on possible education and employment advancement so they can create a path to financial independence. We gather middle- and higher-income volunteers who befriend, encourage, and support families on their own paths out of poverty. These intentional friendships help those seeking long-term stability to find the information and build the human capacity that allow families and communities to thrive.