financial security

Building strong communities through stable families

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Financial Security 2016-05-19What do we need most to thrive in school, work and community? To be successful in life, children, youth and adults need a home. According to a recent article in The Columbus Dispatch, there is a shortfall of 54,000 affordable homes and apartments in Columbus, Ohio alone. Such shortages cause an increase in the number of “rent-burdened” renters, those who pay more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities. Unfortunately, this leaves very little for other necessities. Consequently, these families struggle to make ends meet and are forced to make hard choices between rent and food, medicine or transportation to work.

In Franklin County, OSU Extension is working to help families become stable by teaching them how to take control of their finances by:

  • Offering monthly Financial Literacy training, including counseling to youth and adults.
  • Providing monthly U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) certified and City of Columbus approved Housing Counseling to prospective home buyers, existing homeowners and renters.
  • Collaborating with Workforce Development agencies to connect residents to living wage employment opportunities.
  • Working with community, civic, corporate and collegiate partners to develop safe, decent and affordable housing.
  • Forging strategic partnerships to address infant mortality, food insecurity, public transportation, child support and restored citizens.
  • Providing one-time, emergency financial assistance to low-moderate income, working families.

A stable home provides a solid platform for positive growth, vibrant neighborhoods and economic prosperity. If you are interested in learning more about these programs or in conducting them in your own community, please contact Susan Colbert or 614-247-1983.

(Submitted by Susan Colbert, Program Director, Expansion and Engagement, Franklin County & Heart of Ohio EERA)

Transforming communities through the use of IDAs

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OSU Extension strives to improve the quality of life among all central Ohio residents through research, service and training. In Franklin County, we strive to fulfill our mission by forging unique partnerships and innovative programs.

Financial Training - IDAs 2015-12-03 - croppedOSU Extension forged a partnership with Increase CDC (Community Development Corporation) and the Ohio CDC Association and offers Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), a savings incentive program designed to help low-moderate income, working individuals accumulate assets (home ownership, microenterprise or post-secondary education).

Those who successfully complete OSU Extension’s financial literacy and asset specific training offered by OSU Extension, corporate, civic and collegiate partners are eligible to receive $1,000, if they save at least $500 while enrolled in the program.

Help us build strong communities by strengthening the lives of individuals! Limited slots are available, so don’t delay and call (614) 247-1983 today!

(Submitted by Susan Colbert, Program Director, Expansion and Engagement, Franklin County)

Bridging Fathers and Families through Financial Literacy

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We’ve all seen the statistics:  Being actively involved with our children reduces problems and leads to positive outcomes. One area that often leads to a disconnection in this area is with non-custodial parents. This is (statistically) often the father.

Child support plays an important role in the finances of many families, both for the custodial parents or other family members caring for children who receive payments, and for the noncustodial parents (usually fathers) who pay child support. Both can benefit greatly from financial education and from access to asset-building tools such as Individual Development Accounts (IDAs).

Susan 2015-07-09Towards that end, OSU Extension is proud to report that they are one of three organizations selected in the state of Ohio to receive funding from the Ohio Department of Commerce. OSU Extension will use this grant funding to help non-custodial parents, especially fathers, gain access to financial education, counseling and economic empowerment opportunities, thereby helping them remain compliant with the orders of the court, but moreover remaining active in the lives of their children.

Studies have shown that non-custodial parents (especially fathers) who are actively involved in the lives of their children have a positive impact on the health, behavior, grades and delinquency of their children. Do you know someone (or an agency) who could benefit from getting involved? Please contact us. For details, call Susan Colbert at (614) 247-1983.

(Submitted by Susan Colbert, Program Director, Franklin County Expansion and Engagement)

Helping to preserve diversity in Weinland Park

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Weinland Park (pop. approx. 4800) is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the city of Columbus. Its residents are of various ethnic, cultural, racial, socio-economic, religious and educational backgrounds. As it transforms, however, from a neighborhood of last resort (one formerly plagued by drugs, gangs, substandard housing, low performing schools and high poverty) to a mixed income neighborhood of choice (where people want to live, work, worship or attend school), a key concern is the displacement of residents and gentrification.

Weinland Park Group

Photos: weinlandparkcivic.org

To address these concerns, Extension plays an integral role in helping to preserve diversity in the neighborhood by:

  • Offering free HUD-certified home-buyer education workshops, including individual counseling
  • Serving on the Weinland Park Collaborative, a group of community, civic, corporate, collegiate and church partners working together to revitalize the neighborhood
  • Offering free Financial Literacy training and counseling to area residents
  • Connecting residents to financial resources needed to obtain, maintain and retain their homes
  • Providing supportive services to homeowners and renters in the neighborhood
  • Assisting in the formation of Block Clubs, thereby giving residents a voice in the development of their community

As the demographics continue to change, Extension continues to respond to community needs by adapting new tools and methods to promote the diversity of the neighborhood. The goal is to create a sustainable community where all residents have opportunities to work and live together in a way that improves outcomes for all.

(Submitted by Susan Colbert, Program Director, Franklin County Expansion and Engagement)

Moving from poverty to security and opportunity

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BAFF Child SupportHow can we work together to increase personal financial security, address poverty and create economic opportunity? OSU Extension – University District, in collaboration with the Ohio CDC Association and Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, has joined the Building Assets for Fathers and Families (BAFF) initiative. Ohio is one of seven states selected to pilot this initiative. Because OSU Extension is an Assets For Independence (AFI) site, we’ve been selected to provide financial education training and counseling to area residents. The BAFF initiative is designed to connect existing asset building services with non-custodial parents, especially fathers, who have been ordered by Franklin County courts to pay child support. Parents who successfully complete the program become eligible for driver license reinstatement or review and adjustment.

According to The Shriver Report:  A Women’s Nation Pushes Back from the Brink (2014), 1 of 3 American women with children under the age of 18 live in or on the brink of poverty. Furthermore, 2 out of 3 women consider themselves the primary breadwinner of the family. These statistics demonstrate the essential role of child support payments and programs.

BAFF IDAOSU Extension is able to provide supportive services to Franklin County BAFF participants in collaboration with community, civic, corporate, collegiate and church partners. These programs and services include Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), which can be used towards the purchase of a home, business or higher education. Moreover, they are able to gain access to other valuable programs, services and resources including, but not limited to:  banking, GED, employment, public benefits and much more!

Not only does OSU Extension offer financial literacy training and counseling in the community, but the programming has been extended to Pickaway Correctional Institute inmates who are non-custodial parents and preparing for reintegration into society. Susan Colbert and Lois McCampbell, located in OSU Extension’s University District, are facilitating the program, which consists of four (2-hour) financial literacy workshops offered once a week for four consecutive weeks. The program offers inmates who reside in Franklin County (and have been ordered by the courts to pay child support) an array of skills that can help build a collaborative relationship between the child support agency and fathers with children. This program will provide tools to build personal financial development, credit education, positive child support financial counseling, home buying education, college pursuit directives, driver’s license reinstatement, establish paternity servicing, job preparation and more. The program has been well received by PCI officials and inmates!

(Submitted by Susan Colbert, Program Director, University District)