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Saving money for school is a top priority for Yeny Sepulveda, an attendant in Food Services who is studying to become a nurse.
Sepulveda now is equipped with the tools to meet her personal goals, thanks to the financial literacy workshops pilot offered last fall by Partners in Career and Workforce Development, BWH and the Organization for a New Equality. During six workshops, Food Services employees learned about credit, getting out of debt, creating a budget, banking and planning for the future.
“Everyone who participated said the workshops were phenomenal,” Cynthia Briggs, director of Partners in Career and Workforce Development, said. “Many are now thinking about how to save for their own or their children’s education or to buy a home.”
Donna Newcomb, manager of Food Services, allowed the ten participating employees to attend the hour-long workshops during their shifts. “Employees appreciated the opportunity to learn about managing their finances,” she said. “If they learned one thing they didn’t know before, it was worth it.”
Sepulveda agreed. After completing the workshop, she created a budget and began recording how she spends her money. “I couldn’t believe that most of my money is spent at CVS,” she said. “The little things really add up.”
Since the workshops ended, Sepulveda has monitored her spending carefully and opened a savings account—an accomplishment that will help her prepare for tuition payments and other expenses at Mass Bay Community College, where she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
“Helping employees set realistic goals was the focus of the workshops,” Briggs said.
Partners in Career and Workforce Development is working to improve the program based on the pilot and identify departments interested in participating. For more information, e-mail cbriggs@partners.org or visit www.partners.org/pcwd