(Washington Insider Magazine) The empowerment centers have benefited some 68,000 people.
As part of the Mayor’s “Plan for Economic Recovery,” the expansion of the initiative to provide financial counseling to job seekers in New York was announced.
Mayor Eric Adams, Department of Worker Consumer Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga and Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Kevin D. Kim released details this week of this joint initiative that seeks to strengthen the workforce.
The expansion of face-to-face financial aid services at SBS’s five major Workforce1 Career Centers in each borough will provide a one-stop window for New Yorkers to access free, professional, and confidential financial counseling, along with job readiness services and connections to training for workforce development.
The initiative also fulfills a key component of Mayor Adams’ “Rebuild, Renew, Reinvent: A Blueprint for New York City’s Economic Recovery.”
“When we talk about health, we often overlook how financial health contributes to our overall physical and mental well-being,” said Mayor Adams. “By providing financial advisory services to New Yorkers in all five boroughs, we are not only investing in a more economically prosperous city, but a healthier city as well. This is a great example of how interagency collaboration can strengthen services for New Yorkers who need them most,” he added.
Improve Financial Well-Being
As the city continues to recover from the pandemic, New Yorkers who need a job or are looking to advance their careers are often under a considerable amount of financial stress, adding barriers to obtaining and keeping stable employment. Offering financial counseling at Workforce1 Career Centers can improve the economic well-being of New Yorkers and strengthen the City’s workforce development efforts.
To connect with financial counseling services at Workforce1 Career Centers, New Yorkers can dial 311 and say “Workforce1” or schedule an appointment online. Financial counseling services are available in person or by phone and in multiple languages.
DCWP’s Financial Empowerment Centers have served more than 68,000 clients, collectively helping them save more than $10.5 million and reduce their debt by more than $90 million since the program’s inception in 2008.
This article is authored by Luis F. Cañarte.
