“Stand By Me – Oregon” Offers Financial Coaching to East Linn County Residents September 6, 2024 Have you ever been afraid to open your bills, especially the credit card bill right after the holidays? Do you worry you will never be able to retire? Do you juggle bills to keep lights on and food in the refrigerator? Money related questions and concerns such as these are extremely stressful and can impact one’s overall health and wellness. In fact, financial well‑being is one of eight aspects of wellness — along with body, mind, work, spirit, community, emotions and environment. Samaritan Partially Funds Collaborative Project This is why two local agencies — Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments and Casa Latinos Unidos — are collaborating on a project called Financial Literacy and Coaching of Linn County. The project is partially funded through social accountability monies from Samaritan Albany General Hospital and Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital. The project expands on the financial empowerment program already offered by the Council of Governments called Stand By Me – Oregon, with an added emphasis on reaching the rural and Latino communities of Linn County. “Stand By Me – Oregon provides financial workshops and one‑on‑one coaching with the goal of providing stability to individuals and families,” said Alicia Lucke, program manager at the OCWCOG. It replicates a program that began in Delaware and was refined to meet the needs of Oregonians, including those who face language, cultural or economic barriers. “Together with Casa Latinos Unidos, we provided over 20 free workshops in Linn County last year on interesting topics like spending on needs versus wants, how to purchase a home, budgeting for the holidays, student debt and more,” Lucke said. About the Workshops Workshop participants obtain free tools and one‑on‑one coaching from professionals who are embedded in local partner organizations, such as Casa Latinos Unidos, or from AmeriCorps Senior RSVP volunteers. This work helps participants reduce their debt, raise their credit scores and reach personal financial goals of their choosing. Goals can range from learning to budget and reducing debt, to planning for college, home ownership and retirement. “We start off with demystifying the topic of money,” Lucke said. “In our culture it’s really taboo to talk about money, your credit score, or if you have debt, so we jump right into those topics from the start and show participants how f inancial health fits into their overall state of wellness.” “You could be physically fit, practice meditation, have a strong spiritual life and have a great social network,” she said. “But if you have this looming debt in the back of your mind, or if you don’t understand retirement, it can have a big impact on your wellness and your relationships. So, we really kind of get into the weeds with that.” The program begins with coaches determining their client’s level of financial literacy. Clients whose primary language is Spanish will receive coaching through volunteers from Casa Latinos Unidos. Coaches provide guidance on one of the four financial pillars: budgeting, reducing debt, improving credit ratings and building savings. Once clients have the information and knowledge needed for success, they set goals with their coach and gain the confidence needed to perform the habit‑forming work of managing their finances to meet goals. Personalized ongoing coaching sessions help keep the clients accountable and on track. “So, that’s the sweet spot of what we’re doing. We’re not financial advisors and we’re not life coaches but sort of a combination of both,” Lucke said. “It’s such a good program. The feedback from the clients is that there’s nothing else out there quite like it.” If you live in Benton, Lincoln or Linn County and would like to receive Stand By Me coaching, send an email to [email protected] or call 541-924-8440.
