September 30th, 2023

Location: 280 Huyshope Ave, Hartford, CT 06106
Time: 9:30am to 3:00pm
Food and Childcare will be provided
Transportation Provided to Hartford Residents Only

Your Money Matters:

Setting a Strong Financial Foundation

Moderated By: Patrina Dixon, CFEI, RFC Founder and CEO of It’$ My Money®️

Patrina Dixon is a Certified Financial Education Instructor, Registered Financial Consultant and two-time #1 Best Selling Author. She and her team are on a mission to help people transform their lives by mastering money management skills.

Patrina has been featured in Black Enterprise, Yahoo Finance, Business Insider, Dallas and Atlanta Voyager,  Real Simple, Fox61 and has been featured as a financial influencer by Experian. She is the star and executive producer of her own local TV show called - It'$ My Money. Patrina has taught personal finance workshops in high schools, colleges, universities, businesses, prisons, detention homes, events, churches  from Rhode Island to New York to Texas and tons of states in between and even as far as Trindad and Tobego.

Patrina attended the University of Hartford’s Barney School of Business, holds a Financial Management from Cornell University and is a license insurance agent in the state of CT. Her most notable roles are that of a wife and mom.

Budgeting Basics:

The key to building wealth and/or coming out of financial hardship is not just in making more money but in managing what you do have. This workshop will empower individuals to take control of their financial journey by learning how to create realistic and simple budgeting habits as a first step to getting their financial house in order. 

Lead By: Rashia Schand

Rashia Schand is a passionate wife and mother of 4 with many talents. Over the last decade she spent her spare time teaching financial literacy to teens and young adults throughout the state of CT. She is the author of Jumpstart Your Money Journey, a financial literacy book series for children and young adults. She is also a Mortgage Loan Officer and Financial Educator. She is on a mission to break the cycle of poverty and empower individuals to embark on a journey of financial independence.

Building Your Credit:

What is credit and how it can work for you. A discussion on how to best get, build and/or repair your credit. Learn how not to fall victim to scams and safe ways to get and improve your credit score.

Lead By: Stephen Robert

Stephen Robert is the CEO of Bedrock Credit America, a 501(c)(3) IRS approved non-profit that focuses on credit education.  Since 2007 Stephen has done countless credit presentations to help people better understand how credit really works and what can be done to have the best credit possible. 

Understanding the Free Application For Student Aid (FAFSA)

Higher  Heights will work closely with families to ensure they have a clear understanding of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process. We understand that navigating financial aid can be complex, and we are here to simplify it for you. Our knowledgeable college access advisors will be on hand to guide families through each step, answer their questions, and help them complete the FAFSA accurately.

By attending this session, families will gain valuable insights into the financial aid opportunities available to them, ensuring that the cost of higher education is within reach. Additionally, we will provide information about scholarships and grants that can further support your educational journey.

Lead By: Dr. Chaka Felder-McEntire, Vanessa Newman, and Angelica Morales

Dr. Chaka Felder-McEntire is a professional development consultant and a 20-year+ education administrator with expertise in leadership, motivation, diversity/equity/inclusion, trauma informed practices, counseling, and college & career readiness. A certified Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion professional, Dr. Felder-McEntire provides training and coaching to the public and private industries who want to “repurpose for success”. Dr. McEntire is the owner of Higher Elevations Consulting that provides professional development, coaching, motivational speaking and fitness consultation. Dr. Felder-McEntire is also the founder of Higher Heights Youth Empowerment Programs, Inc. (www.higherheightsyouth.org) and the Connecticut College Access (www.connecticutgoestocollege.org ), organizations that both focus to increase Equal Access and Opportunity for all minority, low-income and first generation students. To date, the organizations have helped over 10,000 students graduate from high school, enroll into college and provide them with over $800 million in scholarships.

Mortgage Prep/Home ownership:

In this workshop, as your community bank, we’ll help you understand the process and steps to purchasing a home.  We’ll cover things like what it takes to be prequalified, programs available to purchase homes and programs to help with down payment assistance and closing costs and so on.

Lead By: Pamela Hippolyte and Dante Galvez

Pam Hippolyte (NMLS #507736), Affordable Lending Loan Officer, (860) 982-6601, 2074 Park Street, Hartford CT. Pam has over 30 years of experience in the mortgage industry. She’s well-versed in all mortgage products and specializes in First Time Home Buyer programs to help the community with their homeownership needs.  She enjoys traveling and meeting new people. She volunteers at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, is on the Finance Council at St. Michael’s in Hartford and the Chairperson for the Caribbean Catholics of North America.

Dante Galvez (NMLS #137863), Affordable Lending Loan Officer, (860) 982-6601, 2074 Park Street, Hartford CT. Dante has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years focused on First Time Home Buyer programs and Down Payment Assistance Programs. He collaborates with Non Profits educating the community in homeownership and financial literacy.  Dante is committed to increasing community awareness for access to affordable housing initiatives.  Dante loves spending time with loved ones and helping others. He is fluent in Spanish.

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