The American Dream of homeownership has become more elusive in recent years. And when someone loses a job, that dream can be snuffed out completely. But with the help of United Way’s SparkPoint, people are recovering and reigniting their dreams.
Fabiola Aranda husband lost his job a couple of years ago. For her family of three, living solely on Fabiola’s income has been difficult, and they began falling behind on their bills. But things began to change a few months ago when she heard about the SparkPoint Center in East Contra Costa county.
Fabiola started by attending a SparkPoint credit workshop with financial coach Deana De Leon to create a personal financial plan. Deana is an employee at Brighter Beginnings, one of several local agencies that work together to deliver services at SparkPoint.
Since connecting with Deana, Fabiola has cut back on spending, created a budget, attended a first-time home buyer class, and is working to increase her credit score.
“At SparkPoint, I’m really getting a better handle on my money. I’m learning lots of ways to save that I never knew about before. Something as simple as getting better car insurance rates can help!” said Fabiola. “Working with my coach, Deana, has really helped me to stay motivated. She is always there to listen, answer my questions and help me stay on track.”
Fabiola knows that achieving her goal will take time, sacrifice, and hard work. With SparkPoint’s help, she is on her way to making her dream of home ownership a reality.
Opened last year, SparkPoint East Contra Costa is a financial-education center that helps people move out of poverty and achieve lasting financial stability. The new center is supported by the Contra Costa Employment & Human Services Department, which has invested $200,000 and leads its day-to-day operations. It brings together several nonprofit partners to offer a full range of services – including parenting classes, support groups and family-literacy activities – in addition to financial planning and coaching.
Learn more about SparkPoint at www.sparkpointcenters.org.
