Boxer Turns Anger into Fuel for Success

Self-employed Single Mom Dreams in Emeralds

February 13, 2012 By Beth Trimarco Leave a Comment

So many of the crises we hear about in this economy are about people who have lost their jobs. For most, unemployment benefits – though limited – provide some relief while they look for new work. But for the self-employed, there is no such safety net, and when work dries up, there aren’t a lot of options.

Marin resident Irene Olkeriil was working as an independent contractor, providing business-support services, when the economy tanked. She lost her bread-and-butter client, and she was having trouble keeping up with her bills. As a single mom, she was worried about supporting her daughter. She knew she not only needed help getting back on her feet, but also needed a new game plan.

Irene discovered SparkPoint Marin when she happened to be next door at another agency that was helping her get PG&E assistance. She stayed for a SparkPoint orientation and was immediately drawn in. Before long, she connected with SparkPoint financial coach, Juan Muniz, and enrolled in an 11-week business class with Women’s Initiative, a SparkPoint partner.

“When the work dried up, I knew I couldn’t panic and I needed to get creative,” said Irene. “At SparkPoint, my coach encouraged me to turn my skills and thoughts into a real business plan.”

With SparkPoint’s support, Irene has made new business connections and approaches her work with more confidence. Doors started opening as she created a solid business plan and filed for a business license. She credits SparkPoint for being the catalyst in her life change.

“SparkPoint gives you hope and teaches you to rely on your skills and inner resources,” she said. “They provide ordinary people like me with amazing services and encouragement to obtain my dreams.”

Irene is one of the 2,000 people who have been helped by Bay Area SparkPoint Centers. Created by United Way, SparkPoint Centers are one-stop shops where people can get one-on-one financial coaching and enlist a variety of programs that can help them get back on their feet, tackle debt, get a good job, and start saving.

To learn a little bit more about Irene’s business, EmeralDreams, go to her website.

Filed Under: Pathways out of Poverty Tagged With: employment, Marin, SparkPoint, success story

Bundle Up for Success

February 9, 2012 By Beth Trimarco Leave a Comment

United Way’s “bundled” services aren’t about keeping warm for the winter. They’re about providing integrated programs to help struggling Bay Area residents address their complete financial picture and achieve financial stability.

Our Earn It! Keep It! Save It! free tax preparation service is often a gateway to those bundled services. Low-income residents come in to one of our 200 tax sites thinking they will just get free tax preparation, and they leave with connections to other programs that can help them improve their finances.

For example, Charselle Hooper visited the Earn It! Keep It! Save It! tax site at SparkPoint Marin because she couldn’t afford a commercial preparer. She had lost her job and was unsure how to account for her unemployment benefits on her tax return. After completing her return, the volunteer tax preparer suggested that Charselle look into SparkPoint’s other services.

At SparkPoint, people can get one-on-one financial coaching, credit counseling, and career assistance, in addition to getting connected with public assistance, matched savings accounts, and first-time home buyer programs.

For Charselle, her situation was complicated because she couldn’t work while awaiting back surgery. However, she had lots of creativity, and had written a children’s book. At SparkPoint, she learned how to create a business plan, and she hopes to publish later this year or next year.

“I first came to SparkPoint to get my taxes done. Now, they are helping me plan for my future and stay focused and upbeat, which isn’t easy in this tough economy. With their encouragement, I know I’m going to get through this tough patch,” said Charselle.

Charselle is one of about 60,000 people who will use United Way’s Earn It! Keep It! Save It! free services this year, and many will be referred to SparkPoint and other services so they can gain more solid financial footing.

Learn more about Earn It! Keep It! Save It! and find the tax site near you at www.earnitkeepitsaveit.org. You can also call 211 to find a tax site and learn what documents to bring.

Filed Under: Income, Pathways out of Poverty Tagged With: Earn it Keep it Save it

Boxer Turns Anger into Fuel for Success

January 12, 2012 By Beth Trimarco Leave a Comment

When James Buggs was growing up, he had to hustle for lunch money and wore only hand me downs. He got teased and got into fights. When he was 18, he entered the army and turned his anger toward boxing. The sport taught him self-esteem and how to push himself. Years later, he had a similar experience at United Way’s SparkPoint.

James first came to SparkPoint for help looking for a job. He got set up with a financial coach who worked with him with him on his resume, helped him be more professional, and connected him to a jobs program for ex-military. With SparkPoint, he now feels he has a better future.

“I’ve got three kids, and I never want to wait until their shoes are worn out until I replace them,” said James. “I want to do right by my kids, and when you come into SparkPoint, you can’t help but feel like you’re going to move forward. The coaches want to help you and truly want to see you do better.”

Through the jobs program, James earned certification to become a security guard. He’s already picked up some part time work. At the same time, he produced an instructional video about boxing that he hopes will generate additional income.

“What boxing and SparkPoint have in common is that they both make me push myself and challenge myself,” said James. “Anything is possible as long as you believe it’s possible. Nothing is impossible unless you say it is.”