Financial Empowerment Tri-Valley Opportunity Council

What does money mean to you? Security, fun, future, power? This is just one of many thought-provoking discussions on the journey to financial empowerment.

Tri-Valley Opportunity Council's Community Assistance staff first participated in the Four Cornerstones of Financial Literacy train-the-trainer” workshops as a step to assist Family Assets for Independence in Minnesota (FAIM) clients.

In the spring of 2017, Tri-Valley Community Assistance staff applied to join the first Your Money, Your Goals train-the-trainer cohort sponsored by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the National Community Action Partnership. Tri-Valley was the only Community Action Agency in Minnesota selected to participate in the cohort. The expectation, upon completion of the training, was that Tri-Valley would then provide the training and the tool kit to staff within the agency and to the community partners Tri-Valley works with. Agency staff and community partners are then able to use the information and tool kit in their work with clients.

Tri-Valley Community Assistance Programs have trained Migrant Head Start staff, Community Assistance staff, and Energy Assistance staff at Tri-Valley Opportunity Council, Inc. They have provided training to the Regional DEED/Work Force Center staff. Tri-Valley will be providing training to Inter-County Community Council, Inc. staff and Polk County Social Services staff.

Tri-Valley Community Assistance staff provide financial literacy training to participants at Tri-County Corrections and Polk County Minnesota Family Investment Program participants through Polk County Social Services monthly. As requested Your Money, Your Goals is offered to residents of the Care and Share Shelter in Crookston. Four Cornerstones of Financial Literacy has also been offered through East Grand Forks Community Education and to Energy Assistance clients in Crookston, East Grand Forks and Ada.

Future plans are to continue providing Your Money, Your Goals training to Tri-Valley staff, community partners and clients throughout our communities.

For more information on Financial Empowerment please call Tri-Valley Community Assistance Programs at 1-800-201-3475.