With the pandemic having a lasting effect on our economy, many of us are struggling financially. However, there are community organizations across the country providing free financial help or problem-solving services to individuals or families who are having trouble making ends meet. The City of Edmonton has launched a free Financial Empowerment Program with a multitude of options to help improve the financial situations of those struggling on low income.
These services include:
- Support filing taxes: Helping guide people through the process and connecting them to free tax clinics.
- Referrals: Providing referrals to community agencies that offer in-depth financial empowerment support.
- One-on-one financial coaching: Providing initial and short-term financial coaching and/or problem solving.
- Support accessing benefits: Helping people learn about government benefits they may be eligible for and assisting them with the application process.
While free financial help or financial empowerment services have been available through non-profit community organizations for some time, some cities, like the City of Edmonton, are starting to integrate these services into city programs where community members are already accessing other services.
In particular, the City of Edmonton, with the support of national charity Prosper Canada’s Prosperity Gateways program, is providing program participants of their Leisure Access and Ride Transit programs with one-on-one financial counselling support and referrals to community agencies that can help them access local, provincial and federal government benefits they may be eligible for.
Find out more about how the City of Edmonton is helping support citizens through its’ Financial Empowerment Program and how your city can get involved with Prosper Canada’s help through their Prosperity Gateways – Cities for Financial Empowerment Program.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay
