Financial Stability Partnership formed in area

The organization will work to improve the lives of low-to-moderate-income residents.

YOUNGSTOWN — The formation of the Mahoning County Financial Stability Partnership (FSP) was announced by United Way of Youngstown and Mahoning Valley during a press conference Aug. 6 at the Youngstown Country Club.

Made up of 23 local community organizations, the mission of FSP is to help low-to-moderate-income individuals and families in Mahoning Valley achieve economic self-sufficiency, save for emergencies and plan for their economic future.

Through the collaborative efforts of the local partners, participating agencies will provide programs that will help the residents achieve goals in four key areas:

• Increase Financial Literacy — Provide financial literacy training and informational resource sites to schoolchildren, teens, adults and seniors.

• Increase Awareness of the Opportunities to Gain Income — Provide assistance to enable more residents to take advantage of opportunities such as employment services and free tax preparation services to receive the earned income tax credit.

• Increase Awareness of the Importance to Save Income — Provide training and programs that teach money saving strategies and encourage awareness of the importance of saving.

• Impact Public Policy — Organize to influence the state and federal legislative processes and public policies regarding predatory lending and residential housing foreclosures.

The local initiative is modeled after the United Way of America Financial Stability Partnership and is part of the "Live United" campaign, which focuses on United Way work in the areas of education, income and health. Through collaborative community efforts United Way believes that economic and social conditions that prevent people from having healthy and productive lives can be changed.

Working together

The FSP community partners are AFL-CIO Community Services Committee, Burdman Group, Buy Into Youngstown, Catholic Charities-Housing Opportunities, City of Youngstown, Community Legal Aid, Family Service Agency, Flying High Inc., Junior Achievement of Mahoning Valley Inc., Mahoning and Columbiana Training Association, Mahoning County Treasurer's Office, Mahoning Valley Community Organizing, Mahoning Valley Saves/Ohio State University Extension, Mahoning/Youngstown Community Action Partnership, Northeast Ohio Legal Services, Ohio Treasurer of State Office, Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning Valley, United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, Volunteer Services Agency, Youngstown Area Development Corp., Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority, Youngstown State University Department of Accounting and Finance, and YWCA of Youngstown.