1. UnitedWay Income SuccessStorythroughYWCA
WrittenbyMichelle George
Walkingupto the admissionsdeskat Springview*College,youwouldneverexpecttoheara story of domesticabuse,
financial hardshipandaTexas-size bootstrapsstory.SoniaBrown*hasjustthat storyto tell.
At the age of seven,Sonia’smothermoved herandheryoungerbrotheroutof a home where theysuffereddomestic
abuse,travelingall the wayfromWashingtonState toTexas.Here theywere able toestablishanew life,withhelpfrom
familyandprogramssponsoredbythe YWCA.
Soniathrivedinhighschool,makinggoodgradesandgettinginvolvedinseveral clubsandactivities.Alwaysthe
overachiever,she tookdual enrollmentclasseswithHillsdale*collegestartinghersophomore year,througha
partnershipbetweenYWCA andthe TRIOprogram. Soniawasable to take dual creditclassesforfree throughthe TRIO
grant, whichprovidesservicestostudentsfromlow-income familiesandfirst-generationcollege students.
Teachersand friendsnoticedSonia’shardworkanddedicationnotonlyin hertop-level classes,butalsoherleadership
indifferentorganizations,all while strugglingtomake endsmeetathome. That’swhenthe YWCA Financial Advising
Program steppedin.Theyshowedher thatwiththe righttrainingandtools,Soniacouldbreakthe cycle of povertyinher
family.
“I didn’tknowanythingaboutsaving orbudgeting,”Soniasays.Once she enrolledinthe program, YWCA financial
advisorstaughtherthe difference betweenaneedanda want,and encouraged hertosave for the future.Theyshowed
herhow to openaccountsfor everydayexpenses,savings,and taughtheraboutretirementplanning.
Since startingthe program, YWCA helped Soniafindajobat Springviewinthe Admissionsdepartment.She startedasa
work-studystudent,andeventuallyworkedherwayupto a full time position. She hashighhopesforherfuture.At22,
she has a financial plan.YWCA’sFinancial AdvisingProgramtaughtherhow to setachievable goalswithtimelinesand
checkpoints. Inthe nextyear,Soniawill be able togetherownapartmentandbecome completelyfinancially
independent.
“I’m muchmore financiallyaware thanIwas before…Iknow whattodoto get my financesontrack, and I always have
resourcestofall back on,”Sonia says,as the nextprospectivestudentwalksuptoheradmissionsdesk.She takesoutthe
newstudentpaperwork,beginning the processthatshe doeseverydayforstudentsjustlike her: breakingthe cycle of
povertythrougheducationandtraining.
UnitedWay of MetropolitanDallasaims tomove 250,000 people outof povertybyequippinghardworkingpeoplewith
the knowledge of howtokeepmore of whattheyearn,and providingthe toolsandtrainingneededtogetandkeep
betterjobs.
*Nameshavebeen changed forconfidentiality.