The Center for Community Transformation at Fresno Pacific University is recruiting people of faith with a heart for the vulnerable for its Faith & Finances initiative.
Faith & Finances is a biblically-integrated financial education program specifically designed to help low- to moderate-income individuals. Church and other leaders will use a 12-week curriculum from the Chalmers Center, a Georgia-based ministry, to help others shape a concrete financial education ministry plan tailored for their own needs. Register at faith-finances-2019-fresno.eventbrite.com.
The training equips ministry and lay leaders with:
- A ministry plan for financial education tailored to their unique settings
- An easy-to-prepare and teach Facilitator Guide and accompanying Participant Guide
- Proven, practical ways to walk with low-income people in managing money
The deadline to register is April 19. Training will begin with an online class, from April 22 to May 21. This self-paced training unpacks the principles of effective poverty alleviation and adult education. Next will be a two-day live training May 31 and June 1 at Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary, part of the FPU main campus, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave., Fresno.
Facts about Faith & Finances:
- CCT has trained more than 60 facilitators in Fresno, more than 80 nationwide, with 26 organizations in Fresno receiving this training (community benefit organizations, non-profits and churches).
- The need is real: Fresno has 45 concentrated poverty census tracts, according to the Brookings Institute.
- The initiative is compelled by the payday lender problem in Fresno. More than 60 of these businesses prey on those living in the concentrated poverty neighborhoods. By comparison, San Jose has more than 1 million residents, and only 30 payday lenders.
- Payday lenders follow the corridors of poverty, preying on the poor who have fallen on hard times. See the article: cctfresno.org/shark-cage-neighborhood/
For more information, contact Carlos Huerta at Carlos.huerta@fresno.edu or 559-453-2374, or Jeanette Jaurena at Jeanette.jaurena@fresno.edu or 559-453-2367.