OUR MISSION We empower women to improve their financial health to create a more secure future for their families and communities. OUR VISION We envision a world in which all women have a financially stable life. OUR HISTORY Founding Mothers, Anita Saville & Kathy Brough, first discussed a financial education program for women living on low-incomes in 2009. As the Great Recession gathered steam, it became clear that few people had the skills to manage their money effectively. Kathy & Anita had worked together on multiple political campaigns & shared a passion for empowering women living on low-incomes. After a year of research, the Founding Mothers realized that case managers don’t have time to help their clients learn key financial skills. They determined that a sustained program that combined workshops & individualized mentoring was needed. “What if we trained volunteers for this”, one case manager said. And the idea for our program was born. Danielle Piskadlo, a longtime advocate for women’s financial empowerment, joined the team as Executive Director in 2019. In June 2022 Budget Buddies officially rebranded to Women’s Money Matters. OUR MODEL FOR SUCCESS Workshops: Guided by volunteer coaches, participants learn to use budgets, handle credit, manage bank accounts, save for larger expenses, and protect themselves against fraud. Workshops include trust-building exercises, success celebrations & coach-participant 1:1 breakout meetings. Mentoring: Personal mentoring of each participant sets us apart from other financial education programs. Each volunteer coach works solely with one participant every week to address her unique money-management goals & challenges. For some participants, this is the first time they receive personalized attention focused just on their financial & personal situation. Small Peer Groups: All Women’s Money Matters programs are hosted in intentionally small peer groups for social support, peer learning, & connection.