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Scott Whitney was referred to SparkPoint by his daughter's school
Scott Whitney and his family have been hit hard by the economic recession. The California State employee lost a significant portion of his income last year when the governor ordered furloughs to help address the state budget gap.
Despite taking a second job on weekends, Scott, a father of two, recently fell behind on auto loan payments and had to trade in his car for a much less reliable, used vehicle. With four family members to feed and a mortgage to pay, Scott was soon falling behind on his utility bills, too.
Thankfully, staff at his daughter’s school referred Scott to United Way’s SparkPoint American Canyon Center, a new resource center that provides a full range of services to help families achieve long term financial stability. Scott started by taking advantage of the center’s utility assistance and school supplies programs,which provided supplies backpacks for his two daughters. Now he is an active SparkPoint member, using multiple resources—including credit counseling, resume-building and life coaching—to help him establish a stronger financial foundation for his family.
“I drop by SparkPoint every week, but it’s not just for the classes,” Scott said. “The credit counseling and resume classes have helped me a lot, but the thing that’s benefitted me the most is the friendship and encouragement I get at the center. Going to SparkPoint keeps me moving along and looking ahead to the future.”
Thanks to his positive experience, Scott has become a self-appointed SparkPoint ambassador, referring family, friends and coworkers to the blossoming community hub.
United Way and our partners opened SparkPoint Centers in Oakland and American Canyon last year. In the next five years, United Way plans to open a SparkPoint Center in each of the seven counties we serve. Instead of providing a one-time handout, SparkPoint Centers commit to working with families for multiple years, creating personal financial plans that incorporate a full-range of services to help families manage credit, grow income, and build assets.
SparkPoint Centers encourage members to support each other, offering a job-seekers’ club and a men’s group. These efforts offer peer support and connect members with resources that can help them network more effectively and regain confidence.
SEE ALSO: ABC-7 News features SparkPoint and 2-1-1
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