Financial Literacy & Credit Building Programs

Financial Capability Program

What We Do

Serves more than 200 individuals each year, helping some of the community’s most vulnerable families achieve lasting self-sufficiency and contribute to the economic vitality of the United States.  

Offers evidence-based programming that is responsive to the cultural and linguistic needs of our diverse community here in Washington State.

Helps families develop foundational financial literacy skills, adopt healthy financial habits, and build assets, ensuring an inclusive local economy where all families have the opportunity to thrive

IRC staff work one-on-one with adult job seekers to identify their valuable skills and experience, identify suitable job openings, prepare a resume and cover letter, fill out job applications, and prepare for job interviews.

Bank Account Support

• General education for clients to make informed decisions
• Directly accompanying clients to the bank to open checking and/or savings accounts
• Credit Building
  • General support around credit and credit score education
  • One-on-one guidance to start building credit
  • Access to a Credit Building Ladder Loan
  • Workshop programming adapted to the needs of other departments and programs that might benefit from financial literacy education
• Travel Loans Assistance (applies only to refugee clients whose flights were paid for by the International Organization for Migration (IOM))
  • Ensuring that clients are informed of their responsibility to make payments on their travel loan (generally 6 months after arriving to the United States).
  • Helping clients understand their travel loans, how to make payments, and how to pause payments.