Jul 29, 2014 2 min read

Community Action Southwest has just five remaining slots for participants in its matched savings program, Assets for Independence.

The program provides a $2 match for every $1 saved. Participants are eligible to receive up to $4,000 in matching funds for the first $2,000 they save.

To date, 12 area residents have completed the program and acquired their assets while 65 are still saving toward their goal.

Participants must be a Washington or Greene County resident and agree to open a savings account at one of nine partnering banks to save their earned income with the goal of using their savings and match monies to: purchase their first home, attend a trade school or college or begin or expand a business.

For those saving to purchase their first home, Community Action Southwest’s home ownership center has certified housing counselors from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development review their credit scores, help them repair their credit as needed and guide them through the purchase. Participants interested in attending a trade school or college can meet with the agency’s postsecondary education coordinator to determine a course of study and to which school to apply. The coordinator will also help them with enrollment and financial aid applications.

Assets for Independence was launched in 2011 when Community Action Southwest received a $200,000 grant from the federal Department of Health and Human Services to launch the program in Washington and Greene counties.

The agency has secured $178,913 of the required $200,000 in matched funding from the nine partnering banks.

Additional information about Assets for Independence is available from Sarah Schneider at 724-225-9550, extension 423.