NHSIE Continues Financial Program With Help of Two Year Grant

A recently donated grant will help the Neighborhood Housing Services of the Inland Empire (NHSIE) continue to help residents in the Inland Empire. Representatives from the NHSIE accepted a check for $107,000 during the recent grand opening of the Chase Bank branch in Loma Linda. The two-year grant will fund NHSIE’s Financial Fitness program, helping prospective home buyers and those in need of financial education in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, according to Chase. The Financial Fitness Program hosts educational workshops and one-on-one sessions to help participants build their savings and credit, and addresses their ability to purchase and maintain homes. Celina Lopez, the NHSIE’s Home Ownership Manager, said, “Our mission is education. We want to provide people with the resources to do it themselves—empower them—and give them the right tools to do that.” Financial Fitness is one of several programs NHSIE offers to Inland Empire residents in the nonprofit organization’s effort to create home ownership opportunities, Lopez explained. Other programs offered by NHSIE also include home maintenance workshops, beautification grants and loans for existing homeowners, and one-on-one coaching programs to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. Funded by the state and federal governments, along with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, the NHSIE also works with several realty and lending groups, like Chase Bank, to provide Inland Empire residents with the tools they need to become and remain financially sound, Lopez shared. “We are paid to provide these services to our community and really it’s all about the collaboration between lending and realty groups and us,” Lopez said. “It’s about how we can effectively work to give back to our community.” Maria Garcia, Chase Market Manager for Consumer and Community Banking, said, “High market demand coupled with low inventory in the Inland Empire can discourage many families – particularly first-time home buyers – from settling here, which can impact the region’s workforce. The NHSIE’s Financial Fitness program is a wonderful way to provide long-term financial benefits for the entire community. Chase is delighted to support their outreach.” Lopez finished, “We are really grateful to Chase. They have really supported our organization, not just this year with their donation to Financial Fitness, but also in years past. They really want to see success, and not just in home ownership, but also in financial literacy.”