Financial Dignity Center Opens at City Hall

In addition to building new bridges, policing neighborhoods, putting out fires, leveraging private dollars to create new affordable housing, and keeping clean water running out of the faucet, among others, the City is now embarking on a comprehensive approach to financial counseling. 

The Financial Dignity Center in the Office of Financial Empowerment is now open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Room 220 at St. Louis City Hall.

"The mission for the Office of Financial Empowerment is to educate and empower St. Louis residents to make better choices with their money," St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura Jones said. "We will offer a variety of workshops and one-on-one counseling in the areas of homeownership, foreclosure prevention, small business development, credit counseling, and earned income tax credit awareness."

Whatever your financial question may be, the City's Financial Dignity Center will be a good place to start. 

Counselors and volunteers at the Financial Dignity Center will teach St. Louis residents how to take control of debt, deal with debt collectors, avoid predatory lenders, improve credit scores, build savings, and create a budget. And, it's all offered for free.

This in turn helps all St. Louisans. 

"Being financially stable helps families keep a roof over their heads, food on the table, and pay for transportation to get to work," Mayor Francis Slay said. "People who are financially empowered are more likely to be able to start a business, maintain their home, be involved in their communities, and support stable families. It helps put residents on a path toward upward mobility."

It also helps people who are in a tough spot. Whether a client's goal is to exit temporary housing, leave an abusive partner, or achieve steady employment, financial stability is a critical factor.

"The Treasurer's Office is proud to partner with Operation HOPE, Inc. and our sponsors: Ameren Missouri, BMO Harris Bank, Eagle Bank, Midwest BankCentre, People's Community Action Corporation, Scottrade Bank, and Wells Fargo to assist citizens who want to learn how to increase their financial capabilities, raise their credit scores, get out of debt, or start their own business," Jones said. 

The Office of Financial Empowerment also offers Lunch and Learn series and College Kids.

Through the Lunch and Learns, City employees receive extensive financial education and training from partners in the financial services community and local non-profit organizations. St. Louis Saves helps citizens design financial action plans to find effective ways to save, reduce debt, and build wealth.

The College Kids Children's Savings Account program provides every child entering kindergarten in a public school in the city a college savings account. The accounts will be seeded with $50 by the Treasurer's office to help families jump start saving for college. Families will have opportunities to save more through matches and incentives such as perfect attendance, matched savings and participation in financial education courses either in person online or via a smartphone app.

"Being financially stable helps families keep a roof over their heads, food on the table, and pay for transportation to get to work," Mayor Francis Slay said. "People who are financially empowered are more likely to be able to start a business, maintain their home, be involved in their communities, and support stable families. It helps put residents on a path toward upward mobility."

It also helps people who are in a tough spot. Whether a client's goal is to exit temporary housing, leave an abusive partner, or achieve steady employment, financial stability is a critical factor. 

"The Treasurer's Office is proud to partner with Operation HOPE, Inc. and our sponsors: Ameren Missouri, BMO Harris Bank, Eagle Bank, Midwest BankCentre, People's Community Action Corporation, Scottrade Bank, and Wells Fargo to assist citizens who want to learn how to increase their financial capabilities, raise their credit scores, get out of debt, or start their own business," Jones said.

The Office of Financial Empowerment also offers Lunch and Learn series and College Kids.

Through the Lunch and Learns, City employees receive extensive financial education and training from partners in the financial services community and local non-profit organizations. St. Louis Saves helps citizens design financial action plans to find effective ways to save, reduce debt, and build wealth.

The College Kids Children's Savings Account program provides every child entering kindergarten in a public school in the city a college savings account. The accounts will be seeded with $50 by the Treasurer's office to help families jump start saving for college. Families will have opportunities to save more through matches and incentives such as perfect attendance, matched savings and participation in financial education courses either in person online or via a smartphone app.