As a single mother, Olga Estrada dedicated her entire life to raising her son and daugh-ter. She was born in Nicaragua and joined her family in the San Jose area of California more than 20 years ago to build a better life for her children. Working for 17 years in a data entry position, Olga didn’t have a lot of monmoney but she always made ends meet.

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“I feel so much better about my kids’ chances in life. I’m better able to provide what they need to thrive. I feel so much better about my kids’ chances in life. I’m better able to provide what they need to thrive” says Erica, a single mother who liwho lives in Boston with her two sons. Nick, grade 10, loves art and Alex, grade 7, plays every sport from baseball to hockey to tennis. More >>>

For too long, people with disabilities have been relegated to the margins of society,” exclaimed Megan O’Neil, Access to Assets Project Coordinator at the World Institute on Disability (WID). “For too long, people with disabilities have been relegated to the margins of society,” exclaimed O’Neil. “Asset-building p“Asset-building programs give people the support, selfconfidence, and opportunity to become economically self-sufficient and truly integrated into society.” More >>>

Michelle Simmons is a single mother of two children who set a goal of buying a home. Michelle joined the Family Savings Account (FSA) program through the Women’s Opportunities Resource Center (WORC) and a partner agency in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

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In recent years – and very prominently in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita – the state of Louisiana has taken a number of important steps to make asset building a priority. In particular, the Louisiana DepaDepartment of Social Services (DSS) has embraced the concept of asset building, and is implementing a number of programs to address persistent poverty and offer opportunities for asset building to low- and moderate-income residents. More >>>

Louisa was unfamiliar with and a little skeptical about manufactured homes. “We are blessed and forever happy now,” says new homeowner, Louisa Padilla. She’s a single mother with three kids – Sarafina (10), Analisia (7), and Santiago (4) – who recently purchased a manufactured home in Oakland, California. More >>>

Laura Burke was able to use an Indiana Individual Development Account (IDA) savings program to get a degree and start her own business. Laura Burke, a 43-year-old grandmother, was able to use an Indiana Individual DIndividual Development Account (IDA) savings program, Financial Foundations, to get a degree and start her own business. More >>>

Ira and Hazel Cheatham purchased their Portland, Oregon home in 1983. Ira and Hazel soon got a call from the lending institution urging the elderly couple to consolidate this loan, along with all their credit card debt, into a single mortgage. More >>>

“We lived in the kind of extreme poverty that you just can’t imagine in this country.” De-scribing her life in Honduras, Cesilia Bueso explains, “We lived in the kind of extreme poverty that you just can’t imagine in this country.” In 1999, Cesilia attended a home ownership seminar and became determined to buy a home of her to buy a home of her own. More >>>

Dena Jo Squyres, like a typical 16 year-old girl, enjoys hanging out with her friends, shopping and playing softball. Dena is a natural leader who plans to become a doctor. She knew that her parents could not afford the cost of college. “I wasn’t sure if it was possible to pay for college on my own and I had almost given up hopup hope,” Dena admits. “However, now, thanks to the SEED program, I am well on my way to saving for college.” More >>>

In 1999, Dennis was $10,000 in debt, had lost his job and had taken a new job with a 45% salary reduction. “I was in so much trouble,” he says. “The cost of living was so high.” Fortunately his nhis new job was at ShoreBank, where he joined the Individual Development Account (IDA) program, one of several in Chicago. More >>>

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