October 2021 Money Smart Newsletter: Success Stories

Money Smart Helps Housing Initiative

St. John’s Housing Partnership in St. Augustine, Florida is a HUD-certified housing counseling agency. It helps low- and moderate-income North Florida residents find and keep safe, affordable housing. FDIC Money Smart has been part of St. John’s housing foreclosure counseling efforts since 2014. It is now a requirement for any client seeking their services.

Marissa Vetter, Program Director at St. Johns, shared, “We have seen learning gains from Money Smart. We have received such excellent feedback from this course. While we are working on a solution to avoid foreclosure such as a modification, we have the homeowner completing the Money Smart course.”

These are a few recent comments made by homeowners regarding their financial education:

“[I] got a lot of credit advice and advice how to budget my money.”
“Light bulbs were coming on as I continued the courses, which have given me a better outlook now in all areas of my life, especially spending money at work on lunches. That has definitely changed for me. I now fix my lunch most of the time now to try and save some money.”
“Thank you for the modules. They were very informative and helpful. I learned a lot. And I already started eliminating unnecessary financial things.”
“The education classes were a TREMENDOUS help. I learned how to make better choices by paying bills on time and avoiding unnecessary purchases. I’ve told my friends about the course and how helpful it was.”

Vetter reflected on their program. “As housing counselors, we find such joy in helping homeowners purchase their first home or save their home from foreclosure. We think education is key to successful homeownership and we have found Money Smart to be the best course available. We are pleased with how Money Smart has helped us with our response to the COVID pandemic. This course helps homeowners out of the financial crisis they are in and gives them tips and tools to financially prepare for future hardships.”