Youth Savings Builds Good Habits and Good Citizens

By Rebekkah Barger, NeighborWorks Umpqua
IDA program manager

The financial future of our children is determined, in part, by how much they know about money. NeighborWorks Umpqua offers classes that teach money management skills and financial wellness to our young people between 10 to 17; we call it the “Youth 3As.”  The class introduces financial management concepts at a kid’s level while allowing participants to earn matching dollars towards their own asset purchase. Those asset purchases can be anything athletic, artistic, or academic in nature, hence the name “3As.”Over the years we have worked with many young people, and I would like to believe that our classes have a long lasting effect. To be perfectly honest, though, it’s not that often that we hear back from the kids after they have made their purchase — that is, until I met Morgan and her sister, Quinn.

Morgan and Quinn contacted our office almost two years ago and wanted to save for dance lessons.  They had been very good savers, and by the end of the classes had reached their goal of saving $300 each. This qualified them for our 2:1 match of an additional $600 each — an impressive $1,800 for the two at the end of the program and enough to pay around 50% of their annual dance lesson costs ($1,500-2000 for each girl each year).

I didn’t hear about Morgan and Quinn again until a month ago when Morgan contacted me.  She explained that she was participating in the Miss Outstanding Teen pageant and had chosen financial education and goal setting as her platform. Her goal, she explained, was to teach the concept of goal setting and saving to little kids.  She had made arrangements with the local Boys and Girls Club and had even begun writing grants for some start up money.  She was off and rolling! 

I asked Morgan what inspired her to do this, and she explained that setting goals and then saving for them feels good. For six years, Morgan and her sister had been babysitting, dogwalking, selling doughnuts, doing chores for neighbors and many other fundraising activities to pay for their own dance classes and school trips. Cumulatively, she and her sister had raised thousands of dollars. 

Morgan liked being able to have the things that mattered to her, without needing her parents to pay for it. She thought others should learn to do the same and she is even writing a book about saving.  Morgan is a great example of how our programs create good savers, and good citizens.  

For information about Morgan, or other programs offered by NeighborWorks Umpqua, email Rebekah Barger at rbarger@nwumpqua.org  or visit our website at www.nwumpqua.org

Umpqua Local Goods: A Unique Approach to Community Development

This post comes to us from affiliate NeighborWorks Umpqua in Oregon. Leave a comment if your organization is promoting local shopping this holiday season!

By Anna Jen
Microenterprise Development
AmeriCorps VISTA at 
NeighborWorks Umpqua

Umpqua Local Goods in Roseburg, Oregon, is a groundbreaking new project aimed at revitalizing community and small business simultaneously. The project, made possible by a partnership between Phoenix Charter School and NeighborWorks Umpqua, takes a multifaceted approach to community development through its retail learning environment, retail space for vendors and commercial kitchen.

A century ago, Roseburg, Oregon, was a bustling country town in the heart of the beautiful Umpqua Valley. For visitors, the Grand Hotel was the place to stay. The 116 rooms featured hot and cold water, steam heat, and phones, all cutting edge in those days. This building was a focal point of Roseburg’s post World War II economy. Over the years, the hotel went through many renovations to accommodate its changing tenants, including a speak-easy card room in the basement during prohibition. After a fire, however, the building remained unoccupied for decades, until NeighborWorks Umpqua purchased it and began a mass renovation in 2002. Today, the building provides 37 apartment units for low-to-moderate-income individuals and families and four commercial spaces for small businesses.

In September 2012, Umpqua Local Goods opened its doors on the bottom floor of the Grand Hotel. With more space (it was previously housed just down the street), the store has been able to accommodate dozens more vendors. Stop by and you’ll find all sorts of unique items made by talented local artisans – from beautiful earrings and stone pendants to scented soaps made with Oregon rainwater, fresh produce, hand-carved wooden cars and airplanes, mouthwatering toffee and much more.

Students from Phoenix Charter School’s Retail Learning Program spend a few afternoons a week at the store to learn valuable job skills such as resume building, interview preparation, working with vendors, and pricing products. “The program creates lots of potential for students,” says Karry Johnson, store manager. “It helps them develop goals, open their minds, and think for themselves.” The program is not just for Phoenix students, but is open to the public; anyone who is looking to gain new skills and experience.

Attached to the store is a licensed commercial kitchen. Stocked with basic restaurant equipment, it provides the perfect work space for food professionals and entrepreneurs. Dana, a Douglas County resident, currently rents the kitchen four days a week and whips up delicious goodies, such as pies, cookies, granola, and brownies, which she sells in the store.

Even in the early stages of operation, Umpqua Local Goods is becoming well-known in the community. It’s initiatives like this that are investing in the local economy, building strong small businesses, and creating future leaders. For more information, please visit www.umpqualocalgoods.com or drop by 733 Cass Street to shop local!