Jackson’s Financial Empowerment Center opens
JACKSON, Tenn. — The Jackson Financial Empowerment Center is now open for West Tennesseans to receive free financial counseling, making it one of the first communities of its size to do so.
The FEC is a partnership between the City of Jackson and United Way of West Tennessee, and is the first of its kind in West Tennessee outside of Shelby County.
Anyone 18 and older is able to sign up for a one-on-one meeting with a certified counselor to develop a specialized service plan designed to meet their individual financial needs and goals.
“We see it as being hugely beneficial to the citizens of our community and United Way. We spoke in the last couple of years about the ALICE population and those in need. Now this allows us to provide a very tangible solution to the issues that families face all across our region,” said United Way President and CEO Matt Marshall.
Jackson is joining about 24 cities across the country who have a center in their community.
Some of the center’s tremendous impacts on communities include reducing debt, building savings, building credit, and being able to access financial freedom.
“This is a reputable service. It’s free, professional for as long as you need it. Does in-depth look at finances. We really look at it as more financial counseling than financial education. We’ve seen it have a profound impact on other communities, and we hope to bring that here,” said Lauren Kirk, the Director of Performance Management for the City of Jackson.
Nashville’s center opened in 2013, and the FEC leaders hope to match their success.
“They’ve seen almost 10,000 clients, and those clients have collectively reduced their debt by $13 million and increased their savings by $3 million. That’s a huge local impact for the local economy. And that’s kind of impact that we hope to have in Jackson,” Kirk said.
The service is provided by an FEC coordinator and two counselors aiming to create excellent opportunities for people in our community and help clients take a step forward in life.
The FEC will be available to serve the West Tennessee community on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
To request an appointment, click here.
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