The CCT was recently invited by the Fresno Housing Authority to lead Faith & Finances training in 3 of its section 8 housing complexes (Cedar Courts, Legacy and Park Grove Commons). Financial Literacy, a core initiative of the CCT, was on the radar of the Housing Authority. With a great opportunity, the CCT felt it was important to stress that F&F is a Jesus-centered curriculum. However, their response was “we feel like faith is what’s missing.” We are excited to hear that one of the three cohorts has been completed with 7 graduates. The other two cohorts in the process: one with 11 participants and the other with approximately 5. That’s 23 individuals that have taken the initial steps of becoming more financially literate and take strides from being in temporary housing to permanent housing. Thanks to the facilitators (Calvin and Christine Certain, Carlos Huerta, Sharon Garabedian, Brain Semsem, and Paula Anderson, Jim Warkentin, Debra Spencer, and Jeff Hunt) for their efforts!
The CCT and the individuals who have received facilitator training are part of an effort to serve the 45 concentrated poverty census tracts in Fresno (Brookings Institute) who are targeted daily by payday lenders.
We are also compelled to combat the payday lender problem in our city, where more than 60 lenders do business, preying on our most vulnerable neighbors. Within a 1 mile radius of Chestnut and Kings Canyon, there exists 7 payday lenders. Which is why we are encouraged to be a part of Fresno Pacific University. For comparison, San Jose has more than 1 million residents, and only 30 payday lenders. Fresno has half their population but double the payday lenders. The payday lenders follow the corridors of poverty, preying on the poor who have fallen on hard times.
If you are interested in becoming part of the solution, you can register for the next Faith & Finances facilitator training: faith-finances-2019-fresno.eventbrite.com The Deadline for registration is Friday, April 19,2019.
