Program Update December 7, 2011

Hello Financial Coaches,

I hope you're enjoying the holiday season and the chilly weather so far!  Please read below to find information about our featured resource and updates to MyVolunteerPage for 2012.

And don't forget that we need volunteers to serve as FAFSA preparers in 2012. For more information, please contact Courtney Salcedo at Courtney.Salcedo@foundcom.org or by phone at 512-610-7385.

FEATURED RESOURCE – THE CITY OF AUSTIN CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE DISCOUNT PROGRAM

Periodically, we would like to feature a resource that many clients may not be taking advantage of.  It will be highlighted at the top of our Volunteer Resource Web Page.  Right now, our featured resource is the City of Austin Customer Assistance Discount Program.  Clients may qualify for about $49 in monthly discounts off their City of Austin utility bill through the Customer Assistance Program.  A household will qualify if someone in the household currently participates in any of the following assistance programs:

• Medicaid program type 3, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 22, 23, 24 or 51
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Travis County Hospital District Medical Assistance Program (MAP)
• Travis County Energy Assistance Programs:  CEAP or FEMA
• State paid Medicare Parts A and B (QMB, SLMB, or QI)

To apply, clients must fill out the Enrollment Card available in the Financial Coaching office and mail it in along with copies of documentation that shows someone in the household is participating in one of the programs listed above.  Copies can be made in the Financial Coaching office.

MYVOLUNTEERPAGE IN 2012

The “I am available” and “I have an appointment” schedules for the spring of 2012 are now posted on MyVolunteerPage.  You will notice a difference - the activities are not split up by hour any more.  To sign up for available days and times:

• Log in to MyVolunteerPage
• Go to the Sign-Up tab
• Choose “Financial Coaching – I am available – COMMUNITY FINANCIAL CENTER”
• You will see ALL the days and times that you can sign up 
• Filter by day of the week or by time simply by un-checking any days or times you do not want to sign up for at the top of the page
• Click on the Filter Shifts button
• You will now see a filtered list of days and times
• Check any specific days and times that you would be available to meet with a new client, and you will be added to our list of available coaches that we will look at when we get an appointment request from a client.

Thanks everyone for making 2011 a great year for Financial Coaching, we're in the home stretch!

Erika Leos

Financial Coaching update - November 3, 2011

Hello Financial Coaches,

I hope you're enjoying the cool weather!  We have some program updates to share with you as well as some great new resources that you can share with clients.  

PROGRAM CHANGES

Income limit simplified!  The income limit for both the Community Tax Center and Financial Coaching is now $50,000 a year, regardless of the number of people in the household.

New credit authorization form.  Please note the new credit authorization form on our Volunteer Resource Page (in the credit section).  Our contract with our credit report provider has changed and now we have to be a HUD Certified Credit Counseling Agency in order to pull credit reports without impacting the client's score.  The new authorization form informs clients of the impact on their score and the alternative for getting their credit report, annualcreditreport.com.  It is impossible to tell any one client how many points they will lose because of this inquiry, but for most people, it will be less than 5 points.  You can read more about how inquiries affect credit scores on the MyFico web site.

NEW RESOURCES

Volunteer Resource Page updated!  We added new resources and organized the Volunteer Resource Page.  One new resource you will find is Assurance Wireless, the free cell phone service for people receiving public benefits.  

Great budgeting tips.One of our volunteers shared this post on One Cobble at a Time.  It's a simple, yet thorough way to think about budgeting, from creating to tracking.  Maybe you will find some helpful tidbits to share with your clients.  I will be emailing the link to all our clients as well. 

I hope you find this information helpful.  Thank you so much for all you do for our clients, our program and our community.  

Sincerely,

Erika Leos

Financial Coaching Coordinator