September 30, 2009

United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut (UWCNCT) was awarded the Knowledge Café “Best Practices that Advance the Common Good” Award from United Way Worldwide—one of only three such awards given each year across the United Way system to programs that reflect innovation and promising practices—on Sept. 29, 2009 for its Working Families Initiative Budget Coaching Program.

Launched by United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut and designed and managed by Co-opportunity, Inc., the Budget Coaching Program helps lower-income working families across central and northeastern Connecticut take control of their finances, reduce debt, and save for goals such as home ownership and higher education.

“In January 2007, our United Way launched the Working Families Initiative to address the challenges faced by low- to moderate-income working families,” noted Jim Sicilian, partner at Day Pitney LLP and board chair of UWCNCT. “The initiative has three goals: to raise awareness of these challenges; to work with our partners to ensure real increases in the savings, earnings, income, and assets of working families; and to provide meaningful opportunities for volunteer engagement. The Budget Coaching Program has helped us realize gains in all three areas. We’re pleased by the United Way Worldwide award, which recognizes our achievements in engaging volunteers, and we’re grateful to our partners for their role in achieving these successes,” added Sicilian.

State Treasurer Denise Nappier, who served as honorary chair of the Working Families Initiative at its inception in 2007, also shared her congratulations at the Tuesday event.

Since the Budget Coaching Program began in 2007, it has trained 224 volunteers across central and northeastern Connecticut, and 123 clients have been matched to a coach. Of the 64 “graduates” so far, 71 percent are paying their bills on time and 64 percent are sticking to a spending plan.

“When my husband and I signed up for budget coaching, we weren’t sure what to expect,” said Tiffany Edison, a youth employment specialist at Our Piece of the Pie in Hartford and budget coaching participant who also spoke at the event. “With our coach’s help, we took a look at our income and expenses and started to develop a budget. Right now, we’re working on paying off 2 student loans, and someday we’d like to own our own house. Thanks to our coach and the program, we’re on track to achieve those goals,” she added.

The Budget Coaching Program, which is currently offered at Co-opportunity’s Financial Resource Center on Sargeant Street in Hartford and at the YWCA of New Britain, is also being piloted at a new Financial Resource Center in Bridgeport.

The Budget Coaching Program and the Working Families Initiative is funded through contributions to Community Investment during the United Way Community Campaign, which is currently under way. Gifts to Community Investment help to ensure academic success for children, healthy and financially stable families, and a safety net of services across the 40 towns of central and northeastern Connecticut.