Financial Literacy Creates... Opportunity!
Since 1999, The Whatcom Dream has been providing financial literacy services
to the Whatcom County community.
But, to achieve a worthy dream it takes more than financial knowledge.
Among other things, it takes education/instruction, motivation, perseverance,
and access to programs that are relevant to one's circumstances. It also takes organizational partnership.
Thank you Whatcom Educational Credit Union, for partnering with us to make financial literacy available for everyone in Whatcom County, and now for our Spanish speaking residents as well!
Our Services
Poverty IQ Workshops
To truly help someone, we must commit to understanding the context in which they live their daily lives. This workshop is on the research by Ruby K. Payne PhD and her Aha! Process team. Our 1 and 1/2 hour presentation helps people better understand the culture of poverty in North America. This is particularly important for teachers, social workers and other human service professionals who work with people who grew up in generational poverty. Understanding why a person makes a certain choice or decision can bring much insight to the situation.
If you are interested in having a workshop at your workplace, give us a call at (360) 319-3759.
Poverty Simulation Events
Through our Walk A Mile Poverty Simulation Events, we have the potential to make a positive change while creating awareness in our community. Our poverty simulation lets people experience a taste of what daily life is like for a low income person. Each participant gets an identity and a set of resources to start. Their goal is to stay housed, fed, safe and healthy while also getting to work or school each day. Participants experience four fifteen minute "weeks" in the simulation. At the end, we debrief and talk about what we, individually and communally, can do to help our neighbors who live this reality every day.
About Us
To truly help a person, we must understand them. To help someone become financially literate, we must consider the socio-economic culture they grew up in.
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Each of the socio-economic cultures we focus on (Poverty, Middle Class, and Wealth) have distinct ideas about how to handle money, what success in daily life looks like and what relationships should look like.
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Our students begin by identifying where they, themselves come from socio-economically, and carefully examine ideas and paradigms picked up along the way. Then, they look at other socio-economic cultural perspectives and determine if there are any useful ideas to adopt as they make their way toward a dream, such as buying a house, pursuing education or starting a business.
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Financial Literacy
Eight Week Classes
Our goal is to provide opportunities for those in need. With access to the right resources, people can become empowered by their own abilities and gain the confidence to fulfill their potential. Our eight-week classes cover basic financial principals in a casual, relaxed atmosphere. We have classes going all year long, in various times and locations throughout the county. Check under the "Find A Class" tab for details on registration.
Dream with us!
The Whatcom Dream wants to spread the gift of financial literacy. We believe that a single action can make a difference in the community, and that collective action can greatly impact the world. Through education and outreach activities, our team works tirelessly each day to contribute their part to the greater good. Lifting others up and helping people reach their dreams is our business. But, we cannot do this work alone. If you would like to help others learn to build lives they dream of through financial literacy, please donate today.
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