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Credit Café: Stronger after COVID
Lacy Ames • August 30, 2021
Credit Café: Stronger after COVID
The Credit Café workshop was started back in 2016 to offer a one-time event where clients would learn about credit and receive a free credit report review with a credit advisor. Over time the event has grown to being more frequent, but still was considered a one-time workshop event. However, in 2020 during the pandemic IHA knew things needed to change for our workshops such as the Credit Café to be possible. IHA decided to evolve and adapt to our new ‘new’.
The Credit Café moved 100% online including the registration process. With new virtual opportunities, the workshop is now being offered 4 times a month with morning and evening availability to meet our participants’ schedules. The Credit Café is no longer just a one-time workshop but now each participant receives support from Lacy for 6 months. The one-time event now consists of two distinct meetings. The first is a 1-hour group meeting where participants learn what credit is, how credit impacts us, and how to best handle credit to make the most positive impact. The second is a 30-minute personalized one-on-one Credit Report Review session where the client receives a thorough credit report review within 1 week of completing the group workshop. During this review the client and program manager set goals to help the client improve, maintain, or build their credit to prepare for their future financial goals. Clients also walk away with a free copy of their credit report.
Now the support doesn’t stop there with these two meetings. Lacy is following up with clients 3 months later to check in to see how they are doing with their credit related goals. Then Lacy follows up again 6 months after they attended the credit café group workshop, offering them a 2nd credit report review session and with that comes another FREE credit report.
The Credit Café program has now become a stronger and more impactful opportunity for those in need over the last year. In prior years the Credit Café had served an average of 80-85 clients each year through the in-person workshop setting. Over the past year with a virtual setting, Lacy has been able to serve 144 individuals. The Credit Café will maintain the same schedule for the 2021-2022 year. If you or anyone you know needs credit repair, credit improvement, or just needs general credit knowledge, send them to Lacy at Lames@interfaithhousing.org to get signed up today!
Check out some success stories from the last year:
“My name is Danelle, and I attended the credit café. The credit café has helped me understand credit a lot more. This class has taught me how to increase my score and manage my credit. I feel like I got a lot out of the class and left with a better understanding or credit. I’m so grateful for the class and look forward to telling others about it.”
“The Credit Café workshop has been such a great asset in helping get my credit repaired. They explained to me in detail how to understand your credit and what is reported. As well as how to get my free reports. I was able to figure out where my issues are and how to gradually increase my score. It has taken some time, but I am headed in the right direction. I just have to be patient and continue to work hard and pay my bills as scheduled. I now understand how important credit is and will pass this information on to my children and grandchildren. “
“My experience with the Credit Café began in 2019. I was frustrated with the dream of owning a home and not seeing a clear path with student loans and multiple bills reporting in collections. The Credit Cafés have given me the motivation to act on knowledge I already had and support to learn more and self-advocate. The hardest part is taking money I could use for other things and putting it towards keeping bills out of collections but if you have had garnishments, repossessions like I had, it's worth it. A little is a lot. Thank you IHA Credit Café, my journey continues! 🙏🏾”
“I opened the first of many accounts 20 years ago. My credit was so-so, with late payments and charge offs that I eventually paid, but at least I had credit. I continued this behavior as a young adult, thinking it didn’t mean a whole lot. Then, hard times and unforeseen circumstances forced me to not use my credit for the last 10 years. When I began the Credit Café in December 2020, it had been so long since I had used any of my accounts, that it was like I never had credit at all! (Oh, except for a 6-year-old ER visit that should’ve been paid by a car accident I was a passenger in. Also, an electric bill that continued 6 months after I moved from the residence, because someone fraudulently told them to keep it on, after I had it scheduled for disconnection. When I entered the Credit Café, I had ZERO credit. It was like I had been erased.
How did I fix it? I spent 3 months making calls every day and collecting evidence to get the derogatory accounts off my credit report. At the same time, I opened a secured card to start rebuilding my credit. The following month, I opened another. I worked hard to make sure that everything was deleted from my credit history and that it only reflected the positive things I had done. I keep my usage below 10%, pay everything off at once (never carry a balance), and make sure that my payments are made ON TIME! I went from NO credit to 524 in a month. Then climbed slowly until I only had positive accounts. At that time, I was in the 650s. Over time, making smart and responsible moves with my credit has shown the impact small things can have. Now, 9 months later, I have great credit and have recently opened an unsecured card with a much higher limit, I qualify to get my deposits back from my secured cards and will soon be on my way to home ownership, which is the ultimate goal.”
Gary Free grew up in Brunswick, MD. The first time he saw the Residences at Railroad Square, he knew he would love to live in the apartments. Now all he can think to himself is, “I am living here!” Gary said the day he signed his lease he was so happy! He has a picture hanging in his apartment that says, “You’re Home.” Gary looks at it often and says to himself, “I am!” He finally feels at peace. Gary feels his home is nice! He also feels one of the ways of living at Residences of Railroad Square is that he now has everything he ever wanted, asked for and needed. The only thing he feels is a concern is that most of the time he gets lonely. His goal is to try to meet people. He says, “I’m a very friendly person.” Gary says his experience living at the Residences at Railroad Square has been rather good. If he has any concerns he can talk to the office staff. He feels it can’t get any better than this!
With excitement and anticipation, I watched the groundbreaking on June 29, 2023, with my assistant Vickie and IHA’s Supportive Services coordinator, Sandi. By the middle of September 2023 concrete walls were being set up. We watched as the roof was completed; then the windows and doors were installed. We impatiently waited for the day we received permission to see the inside of the Residences of Railroad Square property. Finally, on September 25, 2024, we had the privilege to tour the inside of this beautiful property. On the weekend of September 27, 2024, the IHA property management team along with the CEO Jodie, held a two-day in-person application event. The owners of First Stop Brunswick generously donated their space at 2. E. Baltimore Street. That lease up kick off generated 56 applications. Over the next three months, ninety more applications were submitted. Each applicant came with their own story which stirred our hearts. No matter how different their stories may have been, they all had the same wish, a place to call home for Christmas! On November 5, 2024, the first resident signed their lease and on December 23, 2024, the last empty unit was filled! Not only were we able to fulfill these residents' Christmas wishes but it also filled our hearts with joy!
In November 2024, IHA was awarded a $20,000 grant from Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. This grant supports IHA’s three workshop series: Credit Café ; Financial Freedom Bootcamp ; and Ready, Set, Go… Home! In Credit Café, participants work specifically on improving their credit. Financial Freedom Bootcamp builds critical foundational skills for financial success. Ready, Set, Go… Home! walks participants through the entire homebuying process from start to finish. IHA also received a $1,574.37 designated grant from The PNC Homeownership Fund of The Community Foundation of Frederick County. These pass-through funds will directly support low- to moderate-income (LMI) households in achieving homeownership in Frederick County. In December 2024, IHA was awarded a $29,498 grant from the Maryland Affordable Housing Trust (MAHT). MAHT is administered by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) through the Division of Neighborhood Revitalization. This grant program is a valuable resource for the advancement of affordable housing initiatives and will provide operational assistance to IHA’s affordable multifamily community in Cumberland, MD. In January 2025, IHA was awarded a $2,500 grant by The Natelli Communities Charitable Fund of The Community Foundation of Frederick County. These unrestricted funds will support IHA’s work across the multiple counties served by our programs and affordable rental communities.
Programs greatly depend on donations from the faith community, businesses, foundations, and individuals.
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