WOODBRIDGE - (Press Release) United Way of the National Capital Area (United Way NCA) announced today with its partners,
SunTrust Foundation, SkillSource Group, Inc. and
Virginia Cooperative Extension -Prince William, the opening of its new United Way NCA Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) at the Virginia Career Works - Prince William Center in Woodbridge, Virginia. The Financial Empowerment Center will open to the public on December 1, 2018.
This marks United Way NCA’s fourth Financial Empowerment Center in the Washington region and the second one funded by a generous $500,000 grant from the SunTrust Foundation, which also funded an FEC on the campus of Prince George’s Community College.
“United Way NCA’s goal for the Financial Empowerment Centers is to help area residents overcome academic, social and economic barriers to success through a two-generational approach focused on children and families,” said Rosie Allen-Herring, president and CEO, United Way NCA. “Our goal was to reach 100,000 residents throughout the region as part of our community commitment, a $12.3 million investment to fight for the education, financial stability and health of every person in our community. We are currently in year four of this five-year effort, and we have served 77,000 residents to date helping them achieve financial stability.”
“We’re proud to support and celebrate the opening of the second United Way NCA Financial Empowerment Center,” said Stan Little, president of the SunTrust Foundation. “The foundation is committed to helping residents of Prince William County gain financial confidence by expanding the availability and coordination of services that will assist in improving credit, decreasing debt and increasing savings.”
Specifically, United Way NCA Financial Empowerment Centers offer direct access to high-quality financial services and guidance in a welcoming, professional environment at no cost. Each FEC brings together the most effective partners to help clients grow income, build assets, manage debt and improve credit, a much-needed resource for a community with many residents facing substantial economic challenges. Services include one-on-one financial coaching, personal and business-focused workshops, tax preparation, housing counseling and more.
In addition to the support from founding partner SunTrust Foundation, United Way NCA’s Financial Empowerment Center at Prince William County is made possible in partnership with SkillSource Group, Inc. and Virginia Cooperative Extension-Prince William.
“Financial security and economic mobility depend not just on one’s job, income, and skills, but increasingly on financial education and developing healthy financial habits,” said David Hunn, president and CEO of the SkillSource Group, Inc. “The co-location of the Prince William FEC with the public workforce system will provide more opportunities for Prince William County residents to gain financial skills and resources to better secure their families’ futures.”
“Virginia Cooperative Extension Prince William has a successful track record of improving the lives of hard-working individuals by helping them better manage their personal finance decisions,” said Paige Thacker, unit director, Virginia Cooperative Extension-Prince William. “We are honored to be an FEC partner and help the community learn about personal finance, set goals and achieve them.”
In addition to the two Financial Empowerment Centers funded by SunTrust Foundation, the other two United Way NCA Financial Empowerment Centers to open since 2015 are located at The Skyland Workforce Center in Washington, D.C., and the South County Government Center in Alexandria, Virginia.
Approximately 260,000 residents in the region belong to a household that is “unbanked,” which means these residents are not connected with mainstream banking services.
“Supporting the community is a priority,” said Dan O’Neill, SunTrust Bank Mid-Atlantic division president, speaking on behalf of the SunTrust Foundation. “We look forward to our continued partnership with United Way NCA and championing the work of the Financial Empowerment Centers to enhance financial confidence in Prince William County.”
About United Way of the National Capital Area
United Way of the National Capital Area fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in the National Capital community. United Way NCA has been improving lives by creating measurable impact in the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia, and Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties for more than 40 years. For more information about United Way of the National Capital Area, visit
UnitedWayNCA.org.
