United Way of the Bay Area Blog
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Since the bottom fell out of economy, we’ve seen poverty and unemployment numbers grow, and day after day of bad news. However, there may be signs that the economy is stabilizing. The 2011 census poverty data is out, and the nation’s official poverty rate in 2011 was 15%, with 46.2 million people in poverty. After [...]
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 [...]
Are concerns about money keeping you awake at night? Help yourself rest a little easier by calling the 211 Financial Advice Line, next Tuesday, June 12 between 4 and 8 pm. By calling 211 that evening, you can speak directly with a professional financial expert about your money concerns. Call 211 and get FREE professional advice [...]
Sunny weather wasn’t enough to distract hundreds of young job seekers from attending the SF Summer Jobs+ Resource Fair (instead of going to the beach!) this past Saturday. More than 500 youth turned up, eager to increase their chances of landing a summer job. “It’s great to see so many motivated young people here today, [...]
Unfortunately, thousands of low-income taxpayers are not taking advantage of our free, expert tax preparation. We’re urging these families to hold onto the money that they have worked so hard to earn and come into one of our 200 Bay Area sites where they can also connect with dozens of asset-building resources.” – Kelly Batson, [...]
It’s hard to believe, but there is a benefit to filing your taxes – even if you don’t get a refund! That’s because getting free tax preparation at an Earn It! Keep It! Save It! site can open the door to hundreds of local programs that can help you improve your finances. For example, Yolanda [...]
We often talk about single mothers, but what about fathers? In 2006, the state of New York piloted a program to increase employment and earnings of noncustodial parents, most of whom were fathers. The state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance worked with nonprofit organizations in four New York cities – Buffalo, Jamestown, Syracuse, and [...]
“How can I save if I feel like I’m barely making ends meet?” “What’s the best way to start paying down my debt?” “Will I ever be able to buy my own home?” SparkPoint financial coaches help clients tackle challenging questions like these every day. To succeed, they need to address complex financial issues in [...]
United Way of the Bay Area is proud to partner with the City and County of San Francisco to offer a FREE two-day Financial Advice Phone-A-Thon. Today, with personal finance being more complex than ever, knowing where to get advice is an important first step in tackling financial challenges. Call United Way’s 211 helpline on [...]
The results are in, and United Way’s Earn It! Keep It! Save It! free tax preparation service for low-income residents helped bring in $63.8 million in refunds to our community. That’s money that will get spent locally, generating jobs, sales, and tax revenue for government services. This news couldn’t come at a better time – [...]
