How Community Lenders Can Champion Financial Health Amidst a Changing Climate

Fiw Topics

Climate Change
Financial Health

Fiw Year

2024

Transcripts:

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Summary + Key Insight

Community lenders are vital in promoting financial health amidst climate change, focusing on vulnerable populations and innovative solutions.

🌱 Community lenders play a crucial role in bridging financial gaps exacerbated by climate change, ensuring vulnerable populations have access to resources and support.

🤝 Collaborative efforts with local organizations enhance the effectiveness of community lenders, fostering trust and increasing engagement among residents.

📊 Financial counseling services significantly improve recovery outcomes for disaster survivors, emphasizing the need for proactive financial education and support.

💵 Access to capital remains a significant barrier for small businesses affected by climate-related disasters, necessitating innovative lending solutions tailored to their unique needs.

🌍 Place-based strategies are essential for understanding and addressing the specific challenges faced by urban and rural communities, allowing for more effective interventions.

🚀 Innovation in financial services should prioritize dismantling systemic inequities rather than solely focusing on technological advancements, ensuring equitable access to opportunities.

🔄 A multidisciplinary approach is vital for developing comprehensive solutions that address the interplay between financial health and climate resilience, fostering sustainable community development.

This session summary was AI-generated using NoteGPT.

As climate change increasingly impacts our communities, a critical question arises: How can we safeguard the financial health of those most at risk? According to the Financial Health Network, 2 in 5 Americans live in states most vulnerable to high-loss natural disasters, highlighting the urgency of the situation. In the U.S., community lenders and nonprofits are stepping up as key players in promoting financial health, bringing valuable insights into the challenges their neighborhoods face. Join us for an engaging discussion on how these local financial leaders are addressing the threats of climate change while implementing innovative strategies to enhance financial health so that their communities can grow stronger in the face of adversity.

Session Speakers

Casey J. Bell

Chief Impact Officer, Pacific Community Ventures

Casey J. Bell is an impact-focused applied economist with 15+ years’ experience working with CDFIs, non-profits, start-ups and utilities to direct capital to financial wellness, climate resilience and place-based community development initiatives supporting a just and inclusive economy for all. She is adept at partnering with innovators, policymakers and stakeholders at the federal, state, and local level to accelerate systems change. As Chief Impact Officer for Pacific Community Ventures, Casey is committed to capitalizing and supporting a small business ecosystem that creates “good & green jobs” and wealth creation opportunities at the foundation of the U.S. economy. She helms the Good Jobs Innovation Lab, launched in 2022, and PCV’s Business Advising platform. The Lab serves as a catalyst to innovation in CDFI product development and service delivery that incentivize the short- and long-term outcomes along PCV’s Theory of Change in historically underestimated communities. One such innovation includes PCV’s Good & Green Jobs strategy for community-focused climate justice. The team is pioneering research techniques that lift the voices of the communities they serve alongside advanced data analytics techniques to catalyze deep, measurable impact outcomes for women and BIPOC entrepreneurs – addressing market failures that perpetuate racial and gender wealth gaps.

Michelle Jones

Chief External Affairs Officer, Money Management International

As Chief External Affairs Officer, Michelle Jones provides the vision and leadership behind MMI’s ongoing commitment to developing new programs, services, and partnerships that address emerging consumer issues. With a background in mental health, including a master’s degree in clinical psychology, Michelle has always been passionate about developing solutions that promote personal and community wellness. While serving as Chief Business and Development Officer at Clearpoint Credit Counseling Solutions, she was integral to the creation and launch of numerous programs designed to stabilize and support underserved communities, including military veterans and Hispanics. Nationally, Michelle served as Chairman of the Council of Better Business Bureaus’ National Partner Leadership Circle, on the AARP Foundation’s.

Sarita Turner

Chief External Affairs Officer, Elevate

Sarita Turner currently serves as Elevate’s Chief External Affairs Officer where she leads Elevate’s research and innovation, fundraising, and national, state, and local policy engagements. Over the life of her career, Sarita has successfully driven strategic initiatives that foster inclusive economic and community development interventions nationwide, Sarita brings experience in developing and leading local, statewide, and national networks, partnerships, and collaboratives. Her efforts have consistently advanced local and national initiatives in partnership with prestigious institutions such as the White House, a variety of federal agencies and with national and local think tanks, institutions, and community-based organizations. Sarita originally hails from Minneapolis, spent good time living in Oakland, CA and now resides in Baltimore, MD.

Lisa Berdie

Director, Policy & Research, Financial Health Network

As Director of Policy & Research, Lisa works with her team to publish and promote research that addresses the many finhealth challenges facing our communities. Driven by a passion to break down barriers to financial health, she joined the Financial Health Network to bring that vision to life. In her role, Lisa conducts both qualitative and quantitative research, delivering insights that help policymakers and providers turn findings into action. She’s contributed to seminal analyses like the FinHealth Spend Report and the Financial Health Pulse® and conducted studies that help changemakers across the finhealth movement better support the communities they serve. An impactful researcher and advocate, Lisa brings over a decade of experience in research and policy to her work. Prior to joining the Financial Health Network, Lisa analyzed labor, education, social, and economic policy as an Assistant Policy Researcher at RAND Corporation. She also served as the Vice President of Policy and Research at A+ Colorado, where she led research projects focused on creating equity in educational opportunities. Lisa holds a bachelor’s degree in Development Studies from Brown University and is currently pursuing her PhD in Public Policy Analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. Her research has appeared in publications including the Journal of Higher Education Management, RAND Corporation, and the Keystone Policy Center.

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