Jerry struggles each month to pay his bills because of low wages and poor money management skills. He keeps trying to get ahead of the bills but something always comes up. This month his car broke down and the bus route and schedules meant he couldn't get to his 3rd shift job, so he had to quit. So now he's stuck with no job and no reliable transportation. He could get a car that at least runs for a few thousand but he only has $300, and that might not last till next month!
That's when FAITH & FINANCESTM came into the story. Jerry hears about this class and decides to give it a try. It's not easy tracking his income and expenses every week. But he learns about wants and needs, and realizes how much he'd been spending on wants. He creates a budget and, with encouragement from his ally, starts to follow it. Jerry decides to start saving for a reliable car that will get him to a better paying job. He keeps tightening his belt, expenses keep coming in, it's hard but he's saving about $100 a month toward his goal. If only there was some help to get there faster! 
This is where you enter the story! When Jerry graduates from the Faith & FinancesTM class he learns that if he continues to set aside savings toward his goal of a car that will get him to a better job, he can qualify for an Individual Development Grant of up to $1,000 to match what he saves in a year!
You can bless Jerry and others like him who struggle to get ahead of their bills and their debt and who are putting into practice the sound biblical principles they learn in Faith & FinancesTM. Each student creates long-term savings goals that will help them move forward toward financial independence. The goal could be a certification course for a new career, a car like Jerry to get to a job, tools for their trade, or maybe even seed money for a small business. Within a year of completing the class, and with accountability to the Faith & Finances leadership team, the student can qualify for a grant of up to $1,000 to match what they have already saved.
We have set a goal to be able to offer the small and large grants to 5 students in this year's class. Make a gift today toward the Individual Development Grant fund to enable neighbors like Jerry to meet savings goals. Your gift, no matter the size, is an investment in someone's life!