Here is the link to see it as a webpage https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/KYLOUISVILLE/bulletins/2ad83f3 Debbie Belt, 574-6587 / 303-6167
Debbie.Belt@louisvilleky.gov
City partners with LHOME to launch
a free financial navigator service to
help Louisville residents impacted
by pandemic
LOUISVILLE, KY (November 23, 2020)
- In partnership with national
nonprofit organization the Cities for
Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE
Fund), Louisville Metro Government announced
today the launch of a
free Financial Navigators program to help
residents navigate critical
financial issues related to the COVID-19
pandemic.
Financial Navigators will be
available remotely starting Nov. 23 to
provide guidance over the phone to help
residents access available
programs and services to manage income
disruptions and other
financial concerns. These
experts help residents one-on-one to triage
personal financial issues, identify immediate
action steps to manage
expenses and maximize income, and
make referrals to other relevant
community resources such as the
Eviction Prevention Program, LIHEAP,
Healthy at Home, etc. Louisville Metro
Government and Bank On
Louisville will offer these services in
partnership with Louisville Housing
and Opportunities Micro-Enterprise
Community Development Loan
Fund, Inc. (LHOME).
“Helping residents who are facing
financial challenges due to COVID-19
is a critical part of the city’s frontline
response and recovery efforts,”
said Mayor Greg Fischer. “The city is
proud to partner with LHOME to
provide this free public service for all of
our residents.”
Residents can access these free,
remote services by completing the
online form here or calling (502)
657-6624 to sign up. The navigator will
then send a short service
agreement and call the client to begin their
personal session. Organizations across Louisville
can also refer clients
directly to an expert.
Each session will last
approximately 30 minutes. After the session, the
Financial Navigator will send a follow-up
email outlining next steps and
referrals.
“During these uncertain times, it
is critical that our residents access vital
financial resources,” said Amy
Shir, President and CEO of LHOME, a
local Community Development
Financial Institution (CDFI) and
administrator of the Financial
Navigator Program. “We encourage
anyone concerned about paying bills, facing
possible evictions or utility
shut-offs, or with questions about
accessing public benefits to call our
hotline at (502) 657-6624. Our
Financial Navigators are compassionate
and trained to listen to callers
and provide useful information.”
Louisville was one of more than 30
cities and counties across the nation
awarded an $80,000 grant by CFE
Fund to launch the Financial
Navigators initiative, which also
includes technical assistance and
training. The Financial Navigators
initiative is supported by Bloomberg
Philanthropies, the Citi
Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and the
Wells Fargo Foundation.
“Financial distress is a primary
part of the COVID-19 crisis, and we’re
pleased Mayor Fischer and his team
are making this a priority for
Louisville residents,” said
Jonathan Mintz, President and CEO of the CFE
Fund. “The Financial Navigators
program will help Louisville residents
assess and prioritize their
financial concerns and get connected with the
right resources.”
“The pandemic and resulting
economic crises have hit low- and middle
-income households, contingent and
undocumented workers, and many
others very hard,” said James
Anderson, Head of Government
Innovation at Bloomberg
Philanthropies. “We are very pleased to help
the CFE Fund expand its high
quality and impactful financial
empowerment services to reach many
more people in more cities.”
“Sound financial health is a
critical component of addressing the impact
of the COVID-19 crisis on
low-income and diverse communities in the
U.S,” said Sarah Bainton Kahn, VP of Global
Philanthropy, JPMorgan
Chase & Co. “We are pleased to
collaborate with the CFE Fund to help
people in Louisville to access the
tools and services they need to build
resiliency and advance their
financial health.”
“Communities across the country
continue to face significant economic
challenges as a result of
COVID-19,” said Brandee McHale, Head of Citi
Community Investing and
Development and President of the Citi
Foundation. “To provide residents
in Louisville with the vital financial
tools and support necessary to
navigate the financial impacts of the
pandemic, the Citi Foundation is
proud to partner once again with the
Cities for Financial Empowerment
Fund to launch the Financial
Navigators program.”
“The pandemic has clearly
heightened awareness around the financial
hardships that so many people were
already facing here in Louisville
and deep disparities that exist in
society,” said Darlene Goins, Head of
financial philanthropy with the
Wells Fargo Foundation. “We applaud
the CFE Fund for bringing together
the city of Louisville, philanthropists,
and financial services and other
industries to reimagine solutions that
can help improve financial
stability and resiliency for individuals and
families, particularly during this
economic crisis.”
About Bank On Louisville
Launched in 2010, Bank On
Louisville is a collaborative partnership
between local government,
financial institutions and community
organizations that work to improve
the financial stability of unbanked
and underbanked residents in our
Louisville community. To date, Bank
On Louisville has helped connect
more than 47,000 residents to safe
and affordable bank accounts and
connected more than 26,500
residents to quality financial
education. In 2020, Bank On Louisville is
proud to celebrate 10 years of
connecting residents to Louisville’s safest
accounts. Visit
www.bankonlouisville.org for more information.
About LHOME
LHOME stands for The Louisville
Housing Opportunities and Micro
Enterprise Community Development
Loan Fund, Inc. and is an
intentionally inclusive CDFI
focused on serving community members
and small business owners in
Louisville’s low-moderate income
neighborhoods. LHOME is committed
to combating historic redlining
and institutional racism by promoting
ownership through accessible,
affordable loan products and
financial coaching services to its clients,
most of whom are people of color
living and/or working in West and
South Louisville neighborhoods.
Visit https://www.lhomeky.org/ or
email info@lhomeky.org for more
information.
About the Cities for Financial
Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund)
The CFE Fund supports municipal
efforts to improve the financial
stability of households by
leveraging opportunities unique to local
government. By translating cutting
edge experience with large scale
programs, research, and policy in
cities of all sizes, the CFE Fund assists
mayors and other local leaders to
identify, develop, fund, implement,
and research pilots and programs that help
families build assets and
make the most of their financial
resources. The CFE Fund is currently
working in over 100 cities and has
disbursed over $43 million to city
governments and their partners to
support these efforts. For more
information, please visit
www.cfefund.org or follow us on Twitter at
@CFEFund.
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