Workforce team tackles financial goals at fun community event

Music, food and fun — with a serious purpose — were all evident when MVI’s Workforce and Business Development Team celebrated its second “Tackle Your Financial Goals” event.

Held Oct. 23 in conjunction with Gov. Tom Wolf’s recognition of “Financial $ense Week,” “Tackle Your Financial Goals” used a football theme to deliver messages about saving and budgeting for big purchases, using credit wisely and preparing to buy a house.

Led by Bobby James Smith, MVI workforce development specialist and financial coach, participants learned valuable new financial planning tools, and Jonathan Weaver, MVI housing counselor, spoke about our pre-purchase counseling program.

Kweilin Wofford, one of the partners in MVI’s workforce program, was the guest speaker, delivering a motivational talk on changing bad financial habits and mindsets.

Employer partner Janice Muto, senior human resources manager with First National Bank, assisted with the financial activities and conducted a question and answer session with participants, while Kristen McKeag, a Dollar Bank branch manager, delivered a brief presentation on secured credit cards and second-chance banking as well as their mortgage programs.

Finally, community partner Kevin Solomon of SOL Financial Credit Group & Consulting spoke about credit restoration.

About 20 people attended, and each one received a prize — as well as valuable knowledge on how to tackle financial goals, said Tracey Reaves, MVI’s director of workforce development. “The MVI workforce program is one of the best programs around,” Muto said.