New Financial Coaching Services Launching at WorkSource Pierce
October 16, 2024
The WorkSource Pierce One-Stop Center began hosting Financial Coaching services for customers this month!
We are excited to announce this new partnership with Sound Outreach, United Way of Pierce County, and the Multicultural Child & Family Hope Center. Each organization will have a full-time financial coach at the WorkSource Pierce center, offering one-on-one coaching as well as regular workshops. Services will be offered by appointment and drop-in and customized based on the customer’s needs.
Topics covered will include:
- Introduction to Budgeting and Banking
- Analyze and adjust spending behaviors
- Short, intermediate, and long-term financial goal setting
- Overview of the banking system and budgeting techniques
- Starting an Individual Development Account, checking account, or a savings account with a financial institution
- Income and Tax Systems
- Current and future income potential
- Financial responsibilities, tax systems
- Credit Management
- Improving credit scores and maintaining strong credit
This new service is part of an ongoing effort to provide job seekers with all the support they could possibly need as they work to secure self-sufficiency with quality employment, as many live below the poverty line.
“We want to make sure we are intentional with how we offer this service,” said Shellie Willis, Senior Director of Collective Impact for WorkForce Central. “We want to humanize the experience. Financial literacy isn’t a one-size-fits all. Whether they’re a displaced homemaker, exiting service member, or young adult, they all have different needs and understanding of what financial literacy looks like.”
Financial literacy is a critical component in helping lift people out of poverty, as many are often reliant on benefits. Having a good foundation and understanding of financial literacy as they start to earn higher wages is necessary when they will also be dealing with challenges like the “benefits cliff,” where they start earning more and become ineligible for those benefits.
The new coaches will be able to work with our customers to plan and budget for these financial changes as well as help them establish new financial habits.
“It’s about changing people’s experiences with money, teaching them how to prepare,” said Kenan Hadiz, one of the new financial coaches with United Way.
As the team of coaches moves forward, they will work together to modify programming and financial literacy training using feedback from customers to guide their work.
Jennifer Cram
Financial Coach
Sound Outreach
Jennifer previously worked with credit unions for about 20 years helping members better their financial lives before joining Sound Outreach. She has 2 fantastic kiddos – Christopher, 21 who is going to college at Western and Kenneth, 17 is a senior at Harrison Prep in Clover Park. In her spare time, she likes to work on her 54 Chevy Belair, spend time with her husband on house projects, and spend down time at their second home in Eastern Washington.
Kenan Hadzic
Financial Coach
Sound Outreach
Kenan, who earned a bachelors degree in business administration, finance from UW Tacoma, brings over a decade of financial expertise, starting with a seven-year career in banking, where he developed a strong foundation in personal finance and client service. He then transitioned to financial coaching. Kenan has spent the past five years at Sound Outreach as a financial coach, empowering individuals and families to achieve financial stability. As an Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®) from the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education® (AFCPE®), he’s dedicated to making a positive impact in underserved communities through personalized financial coaching. Having lived in diverse communities all his life, Kenan deeply understands the unique challenges his clients face. His favorite part of financial coaching is seeing clients’ credit scores improve, a key step toward their financial success and building generational wealth.
Nancy Jennings
Financial Coach
Multicultural Child & Family Hope Center
Nancy Jennings is a Financial Coach at Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center, with more than 4 years of experience assisting households at risk of homelessness. For the past year and a half, she’s provided basic financial education to individuals with thousands of dollars in rental debt. She loves spending time with her daughters and grandchildren, and she loves watching football, specifically the Philadelphia Eagles.
