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2/13/2012 - Habondia’s Community WISH Project wraps up.
After 30 months of learning, friend making, fundraising, and saving, Habondia’s Community WISH Project wrapped up on November 30, 2011.
The pilot project, funded by Status of Women Canada, began in May 2009. Eleven women who had left abusive relationships and were re-building their lives took part. Together, they completed a series of workshops and meetings exploring personal empowerment, non-violent communications, housing, and money management, among others. These women also had the opportunity for input into the City of Nelson’s commissioned report Nelson Affordable Housing Strategy, July 2010, thus bringing to light the urgent need for, and unique and under-recognized housing needs of women and children.
An additional sixty-four women, 55 years of age and over, took part in a series of financial information seminars. Designed to answer questions attendees had about planning for their financial security during their retirement years, these seminars were presented in partnership with a certified financial planner.
One aspect of the project, the WISH Asset Building Program, encouraged the eleven low-income participants to explore the topic of assets in a holistic manner; using the Sustainable Livelihoods Model to reflect on the assets in their lives, including;
• Social assets (friends, family, community groups, networks, etc)
• Physical assets (housing, transportation, personal effects, access to community resources – libraries, food banks, healthcare, etc)
• Human assets (health, job skills, knowledge, education, abilities, talents, etc)
• Personal (emotional well-being, self-confidence, motivation, perseverance, resourcefulness, etc)
• Financial (income, access to government entitlements, financial knowledge and understanding, etc)
The holistic approach helped participants see what resourceful and talented women they all are. This led to self-confidence that enabled them to see themselves in a broader context, beyond their lack of financial resources. It also showed them the areas where they could work to increase or leverage their various assets.
Habondia’s Community WISH Project supported them in increasing their financial assets in two ways: First was through the opportunity to take part in a series of money management workshops, including visits from banking representatives who they could ask questions of. Second was through the matching of their own savings. For each dollar a woman saved (up to $50 per month), at the end of the project she received an additional $1.85. Each woman then was able to apply those funds towards a goal she had identified as beneficial to her growth and eventual financial security. Participants used their funds towards a variety of goals including education, self-employment/self-sufficiency goals, and housing.
As this was a pilot program, much learning occurred by all involved. In order to share this learning with organizations who may consider developing an asset building program for low-income women, Circle of Habondia Lending Society has published a booklet of Best Practices. This booklet draws on the best practices that emerged from the experiences of the participants, staff and board members.
Click Here to view the Best Practices Document.
Important Update!
Empowering Women with Knowledge
To empower more women with financial knowledge, Circle of Habondia’s Community WISH Project, has teamed up with Peggy DeVries, Certified Financial Planner, offering FREE financial information seminars for women of all income levels.
Three dates and locations for these seminars have been scheduled.
Crawford Bay - Tuesday, November 8th, 4 to 6 pm
Crawford Bay School, Crawford Bay
Kaslo - Thursday, November 10th, 2 to 4 pm
Kaslo Seniors Hall, Kaslo
Slocan City - Wednesday, November 16th, 4 to 6 pm,
WE Graham Community School, Slocan
This will be an opportunity for women 55 and over to bring their questions and concerns and receive information on women’s financial matters. What government programs are available to low-income and senior women; making sense of RRSP’s, TFSA’s, RDSP’s; managing the finances in widowhood, and insurance: do you need it? are a few topics brought by past participants in these seminars.
We look forward to seeing you at one of these FREE seminars!
Annual General Meeting set for December 8th.
The Circle of Habondia Lending Society AGM will be be held at 5 pm at the Nelson and District Women's Centre at 420 Mill St in Nelson.
Come enjoy a bowl of nourishing soup and hear about the success of Habondia's Community WISH Project and Asset Building program and the future activities of Circle of Habondia.
All are welcome and encouraged to join Habondia in celebrating 14 years of promoting personal, self-generated empowerment through the advancement of education; promoting social, personal and financial security; and economic sustainability and abundance among women and families in the West Kootenay. Hope to see you there!
9/20/2011 - Empowering Women with knowledge
An empowering step women can take is to invest time in learning more about the complex and sometimes confusing world of financial matters. Regardless of income level every woman can benefit from more knowledge about her options and what financial services and programs are available.
To support women in this learning process, Habondia’s Community WISH Project has teamed up with Peggy DeVries, a certified financial planner, to deliver free seminars geared to mature women on financial and estate planning. These participant-directed seminars, designed to answer the questions participants bring, are an opportunity for women to gain more understanding.
Topics in the past have included information about the differences between RRSPs, TFSAs, RDSPs, and RRIFs; determining financial needs after retirement; various types of insurance; planning ahead in the event of widowhood; government programs available to low-income and senior women; steps to creating a financial plan; and other questions as asked by the participants.
Join Habondia at one of the pre-planned free seminars as follows:
• Tuesday, September 20, 7 p.m., Slocan Park Hall, 3036 Hwy 6, Slocan Park
• Tuesday, September 27, noon, Castlegar and District Public Library, 105 3rd Street.
• Thursday, September 29, noon, Nelson Seniors Coordinating Society Branch 51, Drop-In Centre, 717 Vernon Street.
• Tuesday, October 4, 10 a.m., Salmo Community Services Centre, 311 Railway, Salmo.
Free presentation to private groups of women in area communities is also available by pre-arrangement. Contact the WISH office at 250-352-6688 to arrange dates, times and locations.
Circle of Habondia Lending Society, a registered BC non-profit society, has been supporting the financial empowerment of women in the West Kootenay area since 1998.
*Original article can be found on BCLocalNews.com - http://www.bclocalnews.com/community/129764803.html
8/13/2011 - IMPORTANT: Community Donation Day!
Your grocery dollar will do good in the community when you shop at the Kootenay Co-op on Tuesday, August 16th. The Co-op will donate 1% of the whole days sales during their 1% for Community Donation Day. Proceeds will make up a portion of the matching funds for Habondia’s Community WISH Project asset building program.
8/13/2011 - Art Auction Thank you!
On behalf of the Board of the Circle of Habondia Lending Society and the Staff and Advisory
Committee of its Community WISH Project, we wish to thank all our wonderful friends,
supporters, volunteers and the following contributors for their huge part in making the Women to
Women Art Auction a success.
Please Click Here for details!
8/13/2011 - We're The News again!
The Nelson Daily News has written a wonderful article about our organization.
CLICK HERE to view it!
IMPORTANT UPDATE!
You are invited to the WOMEN TO WOMEN Art Auction Fundraiser!
Thursday, June 30th
at Self Design High: 2nd floor, 402 Victoria St, Nelson
Donations $5 - $500 at the door
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS!
6/22/2011 - In The News again!
BCTV Kootenays has written a wonderful article about our organization. CLICK HERE to view it!
NOTE: If the above link doesn't work, then click here to view an archived version.
6/3/2011 - Lending a Helping Hand
We've made the news! CLICK HERE to read our article featured in the Castlegar News.
(link will open in new window or tab)
6/2/2011 - New! Added "W.I.S.H. Project" to website. Click HERE to find out more about our Women in Sustainable Housing Project! |
