Not Just the Start of a Building...

NEXT CHAPTER

Moving into our next chapter with the groundbreaking of our ADC Family Campus

FINANCIALLY HEALTHY

FAMILIES

The state of family finances in NM and what we're doing to fill our families' piggy banks.

ROUNDHOUSE ROUND-UP

Some of the legislation considered during the 2022 Legislative Session

COMMUNITY CORNER

Opportunities, shout-outs and requests.

DONATE

Invest in ending homelessness.

Not Just the Start of a Building...

Dear friend,

It was this time, 18 years ago, that the Saranam story began, with a plan to provide a different kind of program for those in highest need. Last week we started the sequel to our story by breaking ground on our second site, the ADC Family Campus!

We were joined at the groundbreaking by past and current staff and Board members, donors, volunteers, a contingent of officials from the City of Albuquerque, and many more. Seeing so many faces who have worked hard to see us grow was a reminder that this groundbreaking isn’t just the start of a building, it’s the building of our community.

Brenda Cordova-Busick, a Saranam Board member and the President of ADC Ltd, spoke at the event and said it was the desire to grow a strong, compassionate community like this, and invest in the people that make it special, that inspired ADC's gift for this expansion.

Read a special blog by Brenda about ADC's gift

The event wouldn't have been complete without our families. Two Saranam alumni, Yudima Valdes-Mesa and Leighann Plummer, shared their elation that more families could walk the same path to self-sufficiency that they did. They, like 86 percent of their peers, are still stable years after leaving the program, and are giving back to the community who believed in them.

See news coverage of the event here

This incredible milestone was the direct result of the care and devotion that YOU, our beloved community, have shown us for nearly two decades. Year after year, you have ensured that not a single bed is left unoccupied in our apartments, that our cupboards are stocked, and that families have support to transition beyond homelessness. THANK YOU!

As we launch our capital campaign to begin the next phase of this build, we encourage you to write your own chapter in our story and find out how you can get involved.

Learn how you can help us grow

Financially Healthy Families

"What if" is a question that keeps so many families on the brink of financial ruin up at night: "What if an emergency car repair comes up?"; "What if I get sick and can't work?".

Even before the pandemic, families' inability to get ahead and stay ahead kept them teetering on the edge of homelessness. In 2018, half of people reported they did not have a rainy-day fund that could cover their expenses for three months.

After more than two years of unexpected work and economic interruptions, families are faring worse than ever. According to 2021 data from the Kids Count Data Center, 19 percent of families in New Mexico have slight or no confidence in their ability to pay their rent or mortgage on time and over 40 percent have difficulty paying for their usual household expenses.

As New Mexico lawmakers met last month to discuss the multi-pronged solutions needed to solve these complex problems, investing in education remained a critical part of helping families find security.

Improving families' access education will qualify them for better skilled jobs with increased earning power and learning healthy financial habits will help them build crucial savings to shield them from the “what ifs” that have spelled disaster for so many New Mexicans.

Financial literacy is not just something that happens as an adult; it is a skill that we build as we grow. That’s why we are so excited to expand the resources our families have to build financial health!

This month we are launching a program in collaboration with Prosperity Works to offer Child Savings Accounts for our current families, and will be devoting one evening per month in our Family Life Skills class to child-centered financial education. To sweeten the pot, we are offering financial incentives for reading books about money, savings and generosity.

Want to help? Help us add some great books to our library! The Money as You Grow Bookshelf is a compendium of books for all ages that includes reading guides and activity ideas for parents.

Purchase them from our Amazon Wish List today!

The information that kids will learn in these books will not only influence their spending habits through adulthood, but having savings set aside exponentially increases their likelihood of attending college, makes it easier to avoid unnecessary loans and debt, and helps them build assets that can cushion them from unexpected events.

Thank you for helping us build skills that will keep on giving!

Donate books today!

Roundhouse Round Up

Though it was a short, 30-day session, this year’s Legislative session packed a punch for families. Here are some of the bills that we followed this year that affect important areas of family health and well-being.

SB140- Opportunity Scholarship Act: This bill covers the cost of tuition and fees for New Mexican students attending in-state colleges and universities, making it easier to undertake higher education.

HB132- Interest Rates for Certain Loans: This bill caps the interest of short-term “payday” loans at 36% and bars wage garnishment for repayment of these loans. These predatory lending loans, disproportionately used by low-income earners, often create a debt trap from which borrowers cannot escape.

HB163- Tax Changes: The bill includes a temporary child income tax credit to help parents meet their children's needs as they recover from the effects of the pandemic.

HB65- Housing Modernization Changes: This bill would have extended the time renters have to pay overdue rent before they are evicted from three days to 11 days, giving renters additional time to qualify for help and stay in their homes.

SB134- New Mexico Housing Trust Fund: This bill will provide recurring funding sources for the New Mexico Housing Trust Fund that can be used to rehabilitate, build and weatherize homes and rental units for low-income New Mexicans.

Thank you to Washington Federal Bank!

We extend our deepest thanks to Washington Federal Bank for their generous grant to support our programming!

We are excited to work closely with them this year to make home and community a reality for more New Mexicans!

Special Sparkle

Our families have been sporting some extra sparkly accessories thanks to Sister Bling Boutique and their donations of Paparazzi Jewelry.

The business, run by two sisters with big hearts, want to pass along the confidence that can come with wearing a special piece of jewelry. Thank you!

ICYMI

In case you missed it, here's what happened this month...

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