Gaining Control
Financial Literacy in English and Spanish
The Gaining Control Program was established in the fall of 2013 to help our clients gain control of their finances. The course provides education on budgeting, debt management, and making sound financial decisions. It requires commitment by those attending, as it is a yearlong program with six months of classroom training and six months of follow-up. To graduate, participants must attend classes and complete homework assignments. A savings account is established for each person. Sunnyside matches 100% of the savings deposited by the client up to $500, allowing the participant to leave with $1000 in his or her emergency account. This is quite an accomplishment for families who have never saved anything and struggle from paycheck to paycheck.We are encouraged by program results thus far. In many ways, it has been life changing. Over 90% of those who graduate continue to budget monthly after one year, and over 75% fund their Emergency Savings Account. Participates learn that living on a budget and having an Emergency Savings account is a better way to live versus the stress of crisis living.