Blog

“What if Canada Revenue Agency decides to freeze my bank account and seize all my assets because I haven’t filed my taxes for so long?” Roger nervously asked the Financial Empowerment and Problem Solving (FEPS) worker at Agincourt Community Service Association (ACSA) during his initial call seeking help with his back taxes. Staff could see Roger was extremely nervous about his situation and knew it would only be possible to help him if they took the time to listen and to understand his story and concerns.

Carla Macias, an Ecuadorian who came to Canada in 2007, shares her journey of integrating into a new country, outlining the ups and downs of facing a world where not only learning a new language is key to success but financial literacy proves equally important. Carla articulates just how instrumental the Jane/Finch Centre was to helping her embark on a path to ensure financial success for herself and her family.

Despite successfully accessing much needed benefits, systemic issues persist

An important aspect of financial empowerment work is ensuring people living on low income can access the benefits they are eligible for with ease. This can often be the “make or break” moment for many Canadians when they receive the much needed income. Small or large, the financial influx is often a relief for those who struggle financially. The value of accessing benefits cannot be understated and in the case of one EBO Financial Education Centre client, that experience has had an incredibly profound impact on her and her family’s life! 

We are Allison Meserve (Prosper Canada), Rochelle Zorzi and Liz Martin (Cathexis Consulting). In this post, we highlight the process we used to co-develop shared indicators for six organizations involved in a national project and what we’ve learned along the way. We hope this will be useful for your own funder-non-profit relationships!