Pathway to Financial Stability
THROUGH THIS PATHWAY, we provide programs and services that promote financial stability by teaching and encouraging practices that increase income, decrease expenses, and build assets. Financial education and workforce development programing allow residents to increase their financial security and better prepare for the future. • Foxwood Manor had another great year implementing its Bucks Back Tax Return Assistance Program through our partnership with the Bucks County Opportunity Council. Volunteers donated more than 1,500 hours to help prepare 460 federal and 444 state tax returns for the residents, saving them more than $45,000 in tax preparation fees and securing over $600,000 in credits and refunds for many of the taxpayers. • Our Pathway to Work Summer Internship program gave 12 teens their first job experience coupled with workshops in financial education and career exploration. Ten of twelve opened their first bank accounts and saved an average of 28% of their summer earnings by the end of the program. • Workforce development programing often integrates our adult education to help prepare our residents for new or expanded employment opportunities. At the Stone Ridge in Arlington, Texas a new partnership with the Arlington Independent School District brought an ESL course to the community. This course that helped increase English proficiency was very popular among residents. We look forward to following participants over the next year to see how their employability and earning power improves with these new skills. • This year’s America Saves Week programing had an excellent response. Through this programing which promotes financial literacy and the importance of saving, 55 residents took the pledge to save and 27 opened savings accounts. For many, this programing spurred the participant’s first foray into savings and first saving account.
“The Pathway to Work Summer Internship Program gave me the confidence to dream big. I’m proud to say I now have a three-year scholarship and am headed to college . . . in Australia!”
ZAK, 12TH GRADE, DALLAS, TX
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OPERAT I ON PATHWAYS F I SCAL YEAR 20 1 4 ANNUAL REPORT
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