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Client Stories

Lindelwa's Story

Client Stories

Lindelwa's Story

Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center?

I moved to Sacramento from New York City in 2014 and did not anticipate a crisis of socio-economic and professional maladjustment as the direct outcome of this family decision. In New York, I had been an undergraduate instructor, and began job-hunting as instructional faculty in the community college system of California. For five years after the move, I survived as an essential worker in the ‘gig’ economy until the COVID-19 pandemic provided a remote teaching opportunity at the same college I had taught for in New York. When I became aware of the FEC, my rent was behind, I had debt in utility and phone bills, and overdrawn credit cards that I struggled to pay back. It was only divine purpose that had my eyes fixated on the FEC flyer. I had dialed 2-1-1 in search of assistance with my taxes when the flyer was brought to my attention.

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What financial achievements have you made since coming to the FEC? I have had unexpected success, to say the least, in the following areas:

Reduced debt:

The initial assistance I received entailed payment of an overdue utility bill with SMUD that had suddenly shot up to approximately $500. In my calculation, this bill alone would have taken me two years to pay. I also received help with payment of a portion of my April 2021 rent.
I applied to SHRA Rental Assistance for eviction avoidance in the subsequent months – and in June my landlord received 25% of my monthly rent for May 2021, from the SERA2 Program.

Improved credit:

The IRC’s Center for Economic Opportunity approved a loan for $100, payable over 6 months to build my credit worthiness and raise my credit score.
I closed on outstanding credit cards by sending settlement letters to two financial institutions; this raised my credit score by 48 points in less than 1 month.

Built savings:

After receiving information from my Financial Coach about other funding sources, I submitted my application through www.uptogether.org for a United Way of California Capital Region (UWCCR) guaranteed income grant for low-income families. I was accepted into the Direct Investment Program in Sacramento (DIPS). My household is currently one of the initial 100 beneficiary families of the program.
I successfully submitted my EDD application for unemployment benefits for subsistence in the summer while I continue to search for teaching opportunities in higher education.

Why and how has the FEC made a difference in your financial future and overall life? What has working with a Financial Coach done to help you, your family, etc.? What would you say to a friend or family member who was curious about how the FEC could help them?

Apart from the 211 service, information about available local programs and resources was not readily accessible before the COVID-19 pandemic. The FEC enabled me a measure of financial independence and decision-making power over my life. My financial coach gave me one-on-one attention and guidance. Benefits of working with the FEC staff have included:

Information about free taxes websites and tax filing help from IRS-certified volunteers. The ability to do my own taxes liberates me from having to pay private companies. I have also learned to avoid expensive credit-repair companies in the private market and how to do online credit disputes with bureaus. Before settling two credit cards through FEC coaching, I had paid $1,197 to an online credit repair company I found on Facebook. It promised heaven and earth, and a long-drawn process that would take over a year with no results.
I now keep on file folders of sample letters of settlement and cease-and-desist letters I can present to credit card institutions on my own, should the need arise again.

As a single woman and the sole financial provider of my family, I have needed the clarity of purpose and independence that comes with financial intelligence. Without professional networking, it has been much harder to secure full-time employment in California, even with postgraduate education and experience from other states. I have found my experience quite ironic, given that as an undergraduate college instructor my area of specialization is social justice.

Overall, I am recovering from daily panic and chronic financial crisis, and lowered stress-related debt has begun to impact my health positively. In the long-term, I expect to draw more strength and confidence to be independent, self-directed, and strategic with the modest finances I have at my disposal. Going forward I believe I can implement every strategy I have been equipped with, set smart goals, and gradually save money.

Do you plan to continue working with your Financial Coach to achieve specific goals? What goals? How can the FEC help you achieve these goals?

My next goal is to focus on retirement planning, a critical area of concern for me. With financial coaching, I plan to seek assistance with:

Information about programs for a first-time home buyer, leveraging the GI Bill that my air force veteran son qualifies for
Retirement planning
Eligibility and benefits of Medicare
Investigate why my federal tax refund status has remained as “still being processed” since May 2021

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