Habitat endeavor builds financial literacy

Habitat for Humanity of Findlay/Hancock County's new Financial Opportunity Center is open and ready for business. The grand opening was announced Wednesday at the Habitat building, 1200 Commerce Parkway, where the center is located. Executive director Wendy McCormick said the new endeavor is designed to assist residents of Findlay and Hancock County with financial and employment needs. "The opportunity to partner with the community and implement an FOC model designed to support consumers in becoming and remaining financially self-sufficient is very exciting," she said. "At Habitat, our mission has always been to partner with families to help them stabilize. With the Habitat FOC, we can now take our work beyond just their shelter and truly focus on engaging, educating and empowering individuals and families to build their own future." The Findlay/Hancock County center is the 17th location in the country to implement the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) rural FOC. McCormick explained that LISC is a national organization that partners with funders like General Motors to help build communities. LISC also developed the FOC model with the help of the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Initially, this was begun on the urban level and has since been implemented in over 100 communities, McCormick said. More recently, the organization decided to bring the program to smaller rural communities. The only other rural FOCs in Ohio are located in Fremont and Defiance. "We are absolutely thrilled to be bringing in our newest FOC and launching what is FOC No. 17 for rural LISC and growing," said Caitlin Cain, a vice president of LISC and director of Rural LISC. "And we're doing this because we know the Financial Opportunity Center model works, and we know how incredibly transformational this model is for so many of our rural communities across the county." Dustin Fuller, who previously launched the FOC in Defiance serving six counties, has been named manager of the Findlay/Hancock County FOC. "Our FOC offers tailored services designed to help participants secure living-wage jobs, build credit, reduce debt and gain wealth," Fuller said. "Data has shown that clients receiving this integrated approach, through the FOC model, are 50% more likely to be employed year-round, reduce nonasset-related debt, build a positive credit history and be employed longer." Fuller said the new FOC has a goal to collectively support 30 individuals and families in the first year with customized financial stability action plans and coaching. Fuller said all FOC services are available free of charge, and there are no income guidelines to participate. This is thanks in part to local partners including the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation, which provided a three-year grant totaling $250,000 for the implementation of the local FOC. "FOCs are based on a proven national model in existence since 2004. The results they have shown nationwide are impressive. And we are excited to see the results start in Hancock County," said Brian Treece, president and CEO of The Community Foundation. The idea originally came up as part of the work of the eight coalitions that comprise the Center for Civic Engagement that is housed at the University of Findlay. According to McCormick, the coalitions have been working together for several years to try to solve community issues at the community level. Treece said the need for financial coaching to support families came up repeatedly at these meetings. Community Foundation staff then met with Toledo LISC, and the idea of launching an FOC in Hancock County was born. "After working with LISC for many months to identify what would be needed to launch a local FOC, Habitat for Humanity stepped up to lead the local effort. Habitat for Humanity is a trusted community partner. It is well positioned to take on this roll," said Treece. McCormick said the Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services has also signed up as a local partner, providing $50,000 from Ohio's State Opioid Response project grant to help better serve families that might have substance use or mental health issues. "We're going to look to partner with Renewed Mind, with FOCUS and with the Family Resource Center, and of course ADAMHS, on how we can help all families, whatever challenges there are and meet those families where they're at," she said. Fuller said the program is designed to be flexible. "The model itself is great because it allows us to adapt individually to the needs and interests of every client, because we also recognize that support is not one size fits all," he said. "The model allows you to be flexible and creative in the delivery of service to help meet the needs and interests of those clients." Long-term goals include increasing income, decreasing debt, helping clients build or establish credit, and giving them access to financial aids that they will need down the road to be successful, he said. McCormick noted that while the coaches are not experts or social workers, they will be able to direct clients to services and programs that already exist in the community. Findlay City Mayor Christina Muryn noted that it takes everyone in the community working together to make a program like this happen. "Government can't do everything. Nonprofits can't do everything. Our citizens can't do everything. But when we all work together to help them, we're going to be successful," Muryn said. "So having GM and a number of for-profit entities recognize that, our nonprofit community, government and all of these organizations coming together is certainly going to have a much larger impact than any one of us trying to do it on our own." "I'm very excited to see this be a successful program in our community, and I know it will pay dividends down the road," the mayor added. McCormick said change doesn't happen overnight and it's not going to be "an easy task" for the families that sign up for the program. "A lot of people come to us who haven't had resources in their life to help guide them. So the Financial Opportunity Center, when you walk in, you're going to get a one-on-one session with an ongoing coach," she said. "You're going to build that partnership with that coach." Working with the FOC is no different than the families who partner with the agency on a Habitat for Humanity home, she said. "Be ready to do some sweat equity, be ready to do the work. We're not going to do the work for you. We're going to help you understand how to do the work and how to make these changes in your life," McCormick said. Habitat decided to take on this work because it's important and someone needs to invest in families at this level, said McCormick. "We're so grateful for this opportunity to be able to create another way that we can try and stabilize families. That's what our work's all about," she said. "So whatever their dreams are and their future is, we can help them build that and make them great neighbors and stronger members within our community." The center is accepting applicants from the Findlay/Hancock County area who would like to participate. To schedule an appointment, contact Fuller at 419-429-1400, Ext. 222, or FOCManager@habitatfindlay.org. Wolf: 419-427-8419