SparkPoint Success Story
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 and 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."
Consider making a donation today to help people like Scott become financially stable.
