Empowering a family with practical financial knowledge can free them from the anguish of debt and help them escape or avert poverty. Financial empowerment changes lives. When families learn to set a budget and adhere to it, reduce debt, raise their credit score and put money in a savings account, they are well on their way to freedom. 

Thanks to the new Financial Empowerment Center at Family Service Association's Neighborhood Place, families are discovering the key to freedom from money distress. With the help of trained financial counselors and a workforce case manager, this FREE service is open to any individual or family in financial crisis.

At the request of the City of San Antonio, Family Service began coordinating and administering the Financial Empowerment Center on March 12, 2013. The $465,000 a year, 1.2 million, three-year grant, from Bloomberg Philanthropies and Cities for Financial Empowerment of New York, is one of only five awarded in the U.S. The City of San Antonio, United Way and Family Service are partnering to bring Financial Empowerment Center services to locations on the city's west and east sides.

Individuals may call The Neighborhood Place at 3014 Rivas Street,

210-431-4425 for an appointment to get free, one-on-one professional advice, customized to their needs. Just like that.

The ultimate goal is to help people develop financial assets. We will achieve this through counseling and helping the under-employed maximize their earnings potential. The Center refers clients to agencies that can help people develop marketable job skills. Increased income, debt reduction, better credit scores and savings are the strategies for financial success.

Kim Arispe, Manager of the Financial Empowerment Center, says, "If a person doesn't have a good job, then financial knowledge alone may not be enough to become solvent. We are helping under-employed clients move into job training by working with such entities as the The Alamo Colleges."

Nancy L. Hard, Family Service President/CEO, says, "The overall well-being of our clients is often jeopardized by financial hurdles - unexpected or continuing. The services we offer help them to stabilize their personal and family well-being ... and this new component adds a critical element that will further benefit the families who look to us when in crisis. We are honored the Mayor's office entrusted this program to us and we expect to see measurable results that will improve the financial health of families and our community."

For 110 years, Family Service has helped families battling the consequences of poverty. In our early years, we provided financial assistance to clients; over more than a century, we have evolved to help them address the root causes. The Financial Empowerment Center is another tool that will help clients regain their strength, stability and independence. That's what Family Service is all about.

During its first week of operation, the Financial Empowerment Center helped a woman who had adequate assets but considerable debt and little knowledge of how to get ahead. She said to her counselor, "I've worked with you less than a week and you've already helped me more than anyone has before.   And you're doing it for free!"

Last year in Bexar County there were more than 8,000 confirmed child abuse investigations and 9,000 domestic violence disturbance calls to the San Antonio Police Department. Each year, Family Service provides services that address the overall well-being of more than 2,000 children and families that have been affected.