Christian Community Services Inc

Mentoring Towards Independence MTI - MTI is our flagship program. This nine month September-May program targets families earning between 100-200 of the HHS Federal Poverty line. This program utilizes about 80 volunteers each month as tutors, mentors, and food teams who provide nutritious family style meals. Topics include a customized financial curriculum developed by CCSI as well as life enhancing topics that address mindset and behavioral changes needed to achieve personal and financial goals. Throughout the week the participants communicate with their mentors and they meet in person at lease once a month to encourage and serve as accountability partners. Another great component of the MTI program is the Individual Development Accounts IDAS. The IDAS are matched saving accounts in which CCSI will match $2 for every $1 they save up to a match total of $3,334. To date at least 200 families have achieved self-sufficiency, with 163 of those as first-time homeowners and the remaining paying fair market rent.

Basic Financial Training - this program is a seven hours certificate based workshop that provides participants with knowledge of basic financial management and enhances their skills on how to take control of their money. The workshop raises awareness of such issues as the differences between mainstream financial centers and predatory lenders. Topics include understanding money, credit, savings and budgeting. BFT workshops are open to the public at large but are a pre-requisite for the MTI program. BFT workshops are typically held 3 times per year.