Financial Wellness Partnership Update
May 2021
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United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona circulates this monthly newsletter focused on financial wellness topics. In this edition, learn the latest about integrated services research, new state and federal benefits for families, and how to share your ideas about future investments. |
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Financial Wellness Partnership - May 2021 Meeting Notes |
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Thanks to everyone who joined us for our May Financial Wellness Partnership meeting. We discussed the research base for integrated financial wellness services and outlined future plans, based on attendee feedback. Meetings every other month will include partner presentations and breakout groups to discuss best practices. Two focus teams working on collaborative referrals and public policy/education will also start meeting between meetings.
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UWTSA staff presented this evidence-based financial wellness framework to illustrate the range of financial wellness services and help partners understand where their programs might fit in. |
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The group also discussed how to increase network awareness of local programs and services and which information is most critical for doing that well. Attendees named eligibility requirements, accessibility, program components and goals, staff contacts, child care availability, and time frame as most important for staff and participants to know in advance of a referral. UWTSA staff will be working on an updated survey of local financial wellness services, using this feedback as a guide.
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Get Involved - Next Steps
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Share Your Funding Ideas - We are collecting your ideas about how to invest large-scale funding, such as American Rescue Plan Act support, in order to share them with stakeholders. If you would like to add your thoughts to the final recommendations, please do so through this survey: https://forms.office.com/r/QuA4Wg7SfC
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Focus Teams – Two Financial Wellness Partnership focus teams will start convening between meetings – Collaborative Referrals and Public Policy. These teams plan to start meeting in the next month. If you are interested in joining either team, email Lisa Floran, Senior Director of Financial Wellness: lfloran@unitedwaytucson.org
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Next Financial Wellness Partnership Meeting – Save the date for Thursday 6/24, 1-2:30pm. More information about the agenda closer to the meeting.
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Best Practices Research: Integrated Service Delivery |
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A 2020 report from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation provides insights about how integrated services can strengthen the financial stability of working families. Key findings from the 15 year study suggest that integrating, sequencing, and tailoring services for each individual and family is most effective practice. Bundling employment and training services with financial coaching appears especially impactful. Coaching is also helpful to retain participants and encourage uptake of services that could help them. Additionally, the report emphasizes that bundled services must be tailored to the needs and goals of the participants, starting where they are. We look forward to incorporating these lessons into our ongoing collaborative referral work and efforts to build customized financial wellness pathways.
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Advocacy and Legislation: Child Care Benefits for Full-Time Students |
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At the end of April, the Arizona State Legislature passed HB 2016 and saw it signed into law by Governor Ducey. Previous requirements meant that parents needed to work an average of 20 hours per week to retain their child care benefits, and training and educational hours did not count toward the total. The new rules will allow parents enrolled in full-time accredited educational or training programs to continue receiving this critical child care assistance. According to the Women's Foundation of Southern Arizona, who led advocacy efforts in support of the bill, this legislation could benefit more than 33,000 low-income single mothers and save Arizona nearly $20,000 per year per family.
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Community Resource: Emergency Broadband Benefit |
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More than 200,000 Arizona families are struggling to access the internet with enough bandwidth to facilitate virtual instruction. The Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) is a temporary discount on monthly internet bills for qualifying low-income households. Available benefits include $50 per month for broadband services, up to $75 per month for households located on Tribal lands, and a one-time discount of $100 for purchase of a desktop, laptop or tablet computer from participating providers. It is urgent to spread the word and help eligible low-income households enroll in this program quickly. The program is time-limited; act now to help eligible Arizona households get signed up before the benefit ends.
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Forum Follow-Up: Collaboration and Funding |
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In April, United Way hosted its first Financial Wellness forum with featured speakers Danny Knee from Community Investment Corporation, Liz Morales from the City of Tucson's Housing and Community Development Department, and Dan Sullivan from Pima County Community and Workforce Development. We appreciated hearing about their experiences collaborating on the Tucson Pima Eviction Prevention Program (Tucson Pima EPP), particularly around starting and continuing new partnerships.
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During the event, the group was asked to share ideas about how lessons from Tucson Pima EPP might carry forward. Suggestions included shifting aspects of one-stop service to virtual spaces; centralizing application portals between multiple organizations (especially if that setup becomes a public expectation and preference); improving referrals with project management and technology; finding ways to use collaboration to keep the Pima County Eviction Prevention Task Force recommendations moving; and continuing efforts like the weekly Eviction Prevention Call. |
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Meet a Financial Wellness Partner |
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Interfaith Community Services
Tina Bommarito, Workforce Development Coordinator
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Interfaith Community Services (ICS) passionately pursues a single mission: to help people in need achieve stable, healthy, and independent lives. ICS presently provides services to nearly 41,000 people each year. From a nutritious meal for a low-income senior or family in financial distress, to job counseling that helps an
out-of-work breadwinner regain sustainable employment, to rides to the doctor’s office, to assistance with mail, bills or small home repairs for clients who can no longer see or achieve mobility, ICS meets essential needs in very practical ways.
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How did you end up working at your current program at Interfaith Community Services?
That is an excellent question! I actually began in the Senior Caregiving Program at ICS registering new clients, and the workforce development position opened up about six months later. I applied because it was the perfect match for my skills, knowledge and experience - prior to ICS, I was a store manager for a major retailer. I had been selected to open new locations on the West coast and then after 9/11, I held a corporate position traveling the US to close underperforming locations. The goal was not only to successfully liquidate the assets, but to work with the teams to support transfers and job placement with other companies where transfers were not an option. My 20 years’ experience included hiring events, recruiting, training and development and all of the processes of displaced workers. I felt I had a lot to offer to the workforce development program and have been in this role for a couple of years now.
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What are your responsibilities with your program?
In addition to providing employment search support to individuals in the community with their resume, application process, interview skills, and professional development, I also oversee our Getting Ahead program and our financial management program. In overseeing the GA program I work with the County to build on the programming that empowers individuals to understand why they are in poverty and how to forward out of poverty. One of the building programs is our new Bridges Financial Management Class that focuses on more than just spending and financial management control. It is a 10 week course building financial resources and social capitol through community speakers, bankers and financial advisors to help the participants achieve their financial goals of home ownership, education, debt management or even owning their own business.
What has been the most inspiring thing you have seen or learned in your work?
Truly, the team that I work with is an inspiration in itself to be a part of. They all work with great passion, respect and compassion to help individuals in the community stabilize and work towards self-sufficiency. Some of the most inspiring individual stories I have had the privilege to be a part of have come from our Getting Ahead and Single Mom Scholar participants. It is so fulfilling to watch someone who has endured either a lot of trauma or tough consequences from their decisions come full circle and thrive. I would have to say the biggest lesson that I have learned is that there is power in nonprofit organizations in Tucson working together to wrap around services to clients when their needs exceed what one group can do. We all win when we work together, especially the client.
What is your favorite thing about living in Southern Arizona?
I was actually born in Tucson, so my favorite thing about living in the beautiful desert landscape isn’t any one landmark, and we have many, but rather the people. I have been fortunate to have built incredible friendships over the years and remain close to my family. I have lived and travelled to many places in the US over the years due to my work, but Tucson will always be the place I call home.
Anything else to add?
I am super excited to have launched and pilot our new Bridges Financial Management class in partnership with Pima County. It is a wonderful cooperative of several nonprofit organizations and businesses in Tucson coming together to cover topics about spending, saving, credit reports, VITA, home ownership, financial predators and the importance of establishing banking relationships to achieve financial goals. Rather than one expert, we provide the cohort with several experts through multiple speakers and mentors supporting the participants on their financial journey of discovery and empowerment.
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Resources and Opportunities |
Arizona Complete Health Capital Grants - Applications will be accepted for, but not limited to, building/purchasing new facilities, improving/renovating/repairing existing facilities, obtaining vehicles, purchasing training materials, purchasing IT infrastructure such as computers or software, and buying equipment. Deadline - 6/25
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Additional Information
Eviction Prevention Resources - The Tucson Pima EPP portal for rental and utility assistance is now open, working with a network of 10 nonprofits to distribute relief funds from the City of Tucson and Pima County. Tenants are encouraged to sign up for the waitlist in order to be considered.
2-1-1 Eviction Assistance App - Answer a series of questions in approximately two minutes and receive detailed, individual, step-by-step guidance to about housing assistance and resources
AZ Eviction Help - Information about eviction processes, tenant rights, and resources for rental assistance, utility assistance, legal assistance compiled by the Arizona Bar Association
AHCCCS Vaccine Navigators - The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), in partnership with Crisis Response Network, announces a new COVID-19 appointment and transportation navigation program for Medicaid members. Now, Medicaid members who need assistance scheduling a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, as well as transportation to and from that appointment, can call 1-844-542-8201, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week.
VaccineFinder - VaccineFinder is a free, online service where users can search for locations that offer vaccinations. They work with partners such as clinics, pharmacies, and health departments to provide accurate and up-to-date information about vaccination services.
Vaccine Ambassadorship Toolkit: This toolkit from TPCH provides advocate resources related to accurate vaccine education and trauma-informed discussions about the vaccines with people experiencing homelessness.
Who is Your Person? Resources from National Healthcare Decisions Day - National Healthcare Decisions Day is a day designed to help raise public awareness of the need to plan ahead for end-of-life healthcare decisions. The AZ End of Life Care Partnership is offering workshops with community partners all week – find a schedule and materials on their website.
Tax Resources - UWTSA webpage also includes information to FAQs and recent changes to IRS tax law and policy
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The Financial Wellness Partnership seeks to improve the financial wellness of individuals and families by increasing accessibility to effective services, resources, and opportunities, and by influencing policy to
develop equitable, people-centered systems that support financial wellness.
If you have questions or suggestions for future newsletters, please contact Lisa Floran, Senior Director of Financial Wellness Initiatives at United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona: lfloran@unitedwaytucson.org
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