Financial Wellness

• CLARK COLLEGE RESOURCES

  • Books for Veterans - The Veterans Resource Center assists our student veterans (any veteran affiliated students) attending Clark to obtain the books and materials they need to be successful.
    
    
  • Clark College Counseling and Mental Health support information.
    
    
  • Free Tax Preparation, for students, from AARP Foundation Tax-Aide
    
    
  • Food Resources - Visit the Penguin Pantry for information about food resources.
    
    
  • Housing - Homelessness prevention and housing support.
  • How to install Microsoft Apps or find troubleshooting help, check out the Microsoft Student Resources page.

• COMMUNITY FINANCIAL RESOURCES

  • Drive-in Wi-Fi - public Wi-Fi hot spots providing free temporary, emergency internet access for Washingtonians.
    
    
  • Emergency Rental Assistance Program - Clark County, WA
    
    
  • Housing Repair Resources - Please call HUD or Clark County Housing Preservation for up to date information and program eligibility guidelines.
    
    
  • NW Furniture Bank - Provides furniture to those transitioning into a home.
    
    
  • Clark County hot spots locations
    
    
  • Resources for the Homebound - a list of resources for the homebound.
    
    
  • 211info - connects people with health and social service organizations in SW Washington
    
    
  • Resources for students - who were laid off or their business closed due to COVID-19
    
    
  • Legal Resources - Non-criminal legal resources
    
    
  • Lighthouse Resource Center - Free Financial Counseling
    
    
  • DSHS Cash Assistance - disaster cash assistance for some Washingtonians 
    
    
  • Washington Connections - food stamp program

    After individuals apply, please call 1-877-501-2233 to complete the “interview” before 2PM, M-F. Do not wait for someone to call as might be indicated after you submit your application for benefits.

  • Clark County Food Bank - food bank listings for SW Washington
    Distribution methods and locations have changed because of COVID-19

  • Comcast - low cost, high speed internet and low cost computers
    
    
  • Cultural Resources include Latin Community Resource Group, PFLAG, NAACP, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD)
    
    
  • Washington State Department of Financial Institutions - focuses on unemployment benefits, debt management, rental assistance, and more
    
    
  • Council for the Homeless - resource for rent assistance, shelter, and affordable housing programs
    
    
  • Washington State Governor’s office - resource list for impacted Washington businesses, workers, schools, veterans, insurance, and more
    
    
  • Washington State Employment Security Department - information for workers and businesses affected by COVID-19, including applying for unemployment benefits and expanded unemployment benefits under the CARES Act.
    
    
  • Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission - energy assistance programs and assistance
    
    
  • Clark Public Utilities - utilities services programs and information
    
    
  • City of Vancouver Public Works - water, sewer, storm water, and solid waste and recycling
    
    
  • Battle Ground Public Schools - support for families during school closures
    
    
  • Evergreen Public Schools - support for families during school closures
    
    
  • Vancouver Public Schools - support for families during school closures
    
    
  • Workforce SW - resources for businesses and individuals

Sheri Terjeson
Financial Wellness Program Manager

A Pacific Northwest native, Sheri has over two decades of experience in fundraising and operations, assisting nonprofits that include OHSU Foundation, Lewis & Clark College, Washington State University, Jesuit High School, and most recently as COO and VP of External Affairs at Daybreak Youth Services. Throughout her fundraising and operations career, Sheri has also been an active real estate investor and financial mentor.

Dan Westby
Financial Wellness Coach

Dan spent over 13 years in the banking world specializing in credit, finance, budgeting, and compliance. Within that experience, he is passionate about developing a sense of community and helping people reach their goals. He works with students on tailoring an approach that works for them and places high value on knowing that every student's situation is unique. He also leads the Financial Wellness Workshop series, offered every term to students and community members.

For questions or to make an appointment, please email financialwellness@clark.edu.

Meet with a Coach

Ask questions about you and your family's financial situation, create a budget, discuss future financial goals, and delve into topics such as credit, debt, banking and investing. 

Please contact a Financial Wellness Coach to schedule an appointment at email Financialwellness@clark.edu.

I just finished the meeting with Dan, WOW!!! I have done a few things like that before (eye roll) and it was always a waste of time and I personally never learned a thing. Dan identified my level of knowledge and understanding of the topics. He was so great, he was able and willing to adjust the topics for me. He personalized this so I could actually learn something and take something away from our meeting. I was extremely impressed by him and all the information he provided me. I was honestly not expecting to learn a thing. I really am truly grateful for this meeting and the time Dan gave me today. - Cynthia T.

 

Sheri sat down with me and listened to my concerns and needs and immediately we went into action building a financial plan. I was given a budget and advice on how to handle my current finances and bills. Sheri helped look for scholarships that would be more suited for a person with my circumstances. Being a woman in recovery there are many things I am lacking such as professional clothes. Sheri introduced me to the career clothing closet and was there to help me pick out clothes for job searching. Meeting with a financial wellness coach has relieved the stress and anxiety I was experiencing and has become such a valuable asset in my journey at Clark College and life.... -  Mindy W.

 

Financial Wellness Workshops are offered each term. Topics like Better Banking, Managing Debt, Understanding Credit, Financial Preparedness, and Economic Impact to Your Finances will be offered.

Visit the Financial Wellness Workshop schedule for more information about upcoming events.

I gained a better idea of how I should be budgeting my income to pay off debt and increase savings. - Joe M.

 

I loved learning more about how fixing my spending can do wonders for my savings and net worth. - Amanda C.

 

 

If you need accommodation due to a disability in order to fully participate in an event, you should contact Clark College’s Disability Support Services Office at 360-992-2314 or 360-992-0901 VP, or visit Disability Support Services (PUB 013) as soon as possible.

Current Newsletter

• Free Tax Preparation from AARP Foundation Tax-Aide

Winter 2021 Newsletter - Issue 1
Winter 2021 Newsletter - Issue 2

• The choice to attend college is a big decision - and potentially a big cost, but it doesn't have to be. Check out Clark's resources available to help students cover the costs of expenses to attend college - tuition, books, transportation, childcare and more.
  
  
• Find your college fit and use these essential tools and calculators to help calculate your higher education expenses.
  
  
• Check out these articles on How to Pay for College and ways to pay for college without parental support.

Making a solid financial wellness plan equips you to achieve your academic goals and succeed in your chosen career. MyPlan is Clark's online personal guide for career, academic, and financial planning. Use the financial wellness portion of MyPlan, in conjunction with workshops and a 1-1 coaching session, to assist you with your financial plan.

• Use this calculator to find the monthly payment amount of a loan: Amortizing Loan Calculator.
  
  
• Create a student budget.
  
  
• An in-depth Home Budget Analysis calculator.
  
  
• Use this Car Loan Calculator to find your purchase price and the right monthly payment for your budget.
  
  
• Figure out your savings with this Future Value Calculator.
  
  
• Use the Emergency Savings Calculator to figure out how much to save for an emergency.
  
  
• Make a big impact on your financial future and find out When Should I Begin Saving For Retirement.
  
  
• Use these worksheets to manage budgets, debt, and to create a personal financial statement (PFS).
  
  
• Where you are on your financial journey, you can prepare yourself to make informed financial decisions with these resources from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

• NPR series on Money Counts: Young Adults and Financial Literacy: A five-day series examining the relationship between young people and their money.
  
  
• PayScale's 2020-2021 College Salary Report: Where you choose to go to college, what type of degree you decide to pursue, and the major you choose to study can greatly impact your future salary potential.
  
  
• Understanding FICO Scores: What you need to know about the most widely used credit scores.
  
  
• Five Articles to Refresh Your Financial Literacy: Investopedia and Non-profit Money Management International offer a step-by-step plan to financial wellness including articles, calculators and calculation guides.

• This blogger perused various financial philosophies to help her identify the one right for her.
  
  
• The Financial Independence, Retire Early (F.I.R.E.) movement: These bloggers tell their story of pursuing and achieving financial independence.
  
  
• Dave Ramsey has made a career of giving financial advice to the people who need it most. Most of the callers on his radio show are trying to dig themselves out of debt.
  
  
• Your Money or Your Life is rooted in transforming your relationship with money, not just changing your money habits.

Many of us think home buying is only an option for those with a high income, ample savings, and perfect credit. Fortunately, there are many programs available to help first-time and/or low-to moderate- income buyers make their dream of owning a home a reality.

For questions or assistance with these resources please schedule a financial wellness coaching appointment by contacting us at financialwellness@clark.edu

Definition of a First-time Homebuyer

Programs:

Proud Ground makes homeownership affordable to income-qualified, first-time homebuyers (meaning you have not owned a home within the last three years) through the Community Land Trust model. Working with their partners, they educate and counsel homebuyers, administer grant funding to create affordable homebuying opportunities, and manage the entire real estate process on behalf of the homebuyer. Once a homeowner purchases with Proud Ground, they provide post-purchase support to ensure the homeowner's long-term stability in the home. In exchange for a reasonable purchase price (about $60,000 to $100,000 LESS than a market-rate home), homeowners agree to resale arrangements that provide a seller with a share of the homes equity while ensuring the home remains affordable for another moderate-income homebuyer. Homes are currently available in Oregon. Check the site regularly for availability in SW Washington. 

The USDA Loan program provides down payment assistance, low interest rates when you purchase a home in a targeted rural area. You can check the USDA eligibility map to see zones that are eligible in your targeted area for your home search. Ask your realtor to show you homes in your price range and only in the targeted rural areas.

Evergreen Habitat for Humanity: Family partners are selected based on meeting three criteria: need, ability to pay, and ability to partner. Through volunteer labor and tax-deductible donations of money and materials, Habitat for Humanity builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses with the help of the homeowner. Habitat houses are sold to families at no profit, financed with affordable, no-interest loans. The homeowners' monthly mortgage payments are recycled into a revolving Fund for Humanity that is used to build more houses. 

Down Payment Assistance:

Information below is from the Low-Income Relief site:

Home Choice Down Payment Assistance Loan Program provides up to $15,000 toward the down payment and closing costs of your first-time home buyer loan! This program is a second mortgage loan program for households with at least one disabled family member. This second mortgage has a mere one percent interest.

Teacher Next Door is a down payment assistance program for teachers and employees of K-12 public schools, private schools, community colleges and technical schools. The assistance is awarded as a second loan with a 3 percent interest rate and a 10-year loan term.

House Key Opportunity loans are a special mortgage product designed for those who are obtaining some form of down payment assistance. They can be combined with Opportunity Down Payment Assistance Loans of up to $10,000. Contact a lender for more information.

Veterans Down Payment Assistance is a statewide program that can provide $10,000 in down payment assistance for persons who received an honorable or medical discharge. Spouses who have never remarried and dependent children of deceased veterans may also qualify. This $10,000 loan carries a 3 percent interest rate and does not have monthly payments. You will have to pay off the balance when you pay off, sell, transfer or otherwise move out of the home, though.

Mortgage Programs:

Washington State Housing Finance Commission administers several first-time buyer loan programs. They have home buyer education workshops, home loan programs and down payment assistance.

Energy Spark Home Loans grant a 0.25% interest rate reduction to buyers who purchase an energy efficient home or make upgrades to an existing home at the time of purchase.

Home Advantage Loans are a type of WSHFC loan that is designed to help low income families purchase a home with a good interest rate. You an receive up to four percent of the mortgage loan amount in down payment assistance!

 

The application for Emergency Grants opens two weeks before the first day of each term and closes on the last day of classes.

Apply Now

If you have any questions or are experiencing problems filling out this application, please email SEAG@clark.edu. 
Visit 211info.org or click on the Resources tab above, at the top of this list, for information about help services like safe housing, food programs, health care and job training.