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A Good Steward
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Prosperity coach helps homeless in
transition learn financial lessons
by Susan Young, Courier News,
South Plainfield, NJ, December 8, 2004
Growing up, John Hill had a
"privileged" childhood. He lived in Summit, where his dad was an accomplished
dentist. As an adult, he worked in "corporate America," then as a newspaper
reporter, and later in public relations and public affairs. He even owned a
consulting firm before venturing into the non-profit arena as the administrator
of a homeless shelter.
Like so many others, Hill didn't plan for the
future. He had no investments. Last year, he became quite ill. As a result, he
said he was "one paycheck away from being homeless."
Hill turned to the
Interfaith Council for the Homeless of Union County. Located in Plainfield, the
council not only provided him with affordable housing, but also sent him to
workshops that teach him the basics of finances and more.
The eight-week
program was facilitated by Kathy Miller, founder of "A Good Steward," a
prosperity coaching company (www.toobudytobudget.com) based in Warren that
helps people learn how to organize finances, eliminate debt and increase net
worth. The program, "Too Busy to Budget," based on Miller's book by the same
name, teaches clients the nuts and bolts of money management, personal
responsibility, problem solving and decision-making. But it also addresses the
emotional side of finances.
Miller, a member of the New Jersey
Professional Coaches Association said, "There are many aspects to managing your
money, and most have to do with managing your thoughts, habits, behaviors and
beliefs about money, the world and life. A person's finances are often tied to
their self-esteem. We need to get people past the feeling of hopelessness. It's
one thing to give someone fish to eat for a day. Then there's teaching them how
to fish. But they need to know that there are fish available to them, otherwise
there is no reason for them to get up and go fishing."
The Interfaith
Council provides transitional housing for up to a year for very low-income
clients who are homeless due to a lack of affordable housing. It also provides
permanent housing for people who are HIV-positive and those who have
AIDS.
The average monthly cost of a two-bedroom apartment in Union
County is $1,026. A minimum-wage worker would have to work 153 hours a week to
afford that. The average income of families served by the Interfaith Council is
between $7,000 and $12,000 annually.
Melinda Allen-Grote, director of
External Affairs at the Interfaith Council, said, "Many of our clients are
hard-working people who just don't earn enough money to afford housing. Kathy
understands the needs of the people we serve. She's not only a financial coach,
but an emotional coach as well. Her workshop allows clients to talk about how
they feel about money. It gets them to the place that once they are able to
provide for their needs, they are able to reach out and share with
others.
New Jersey Professional Coaches Association is a nonprofit
organization of personal and business coaches in New Jersey. It helps coaches
to grow professionally by providing educational presentations, seminars,
speakers, workshops, teleclasses and referral resources to members. For more
information, visit www.njcoaches.org.
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