COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Stabilization and Asset-building
It’s All Because of NAYA’s Support Anjanet Banuelos’s, Tlingit, life has changed since walking into NAYA Family Center. Experiencing employment and housing instability, Anjanet had accessed mainstream community programs but didn’t recieve the supports she needed to succeed. “I was looking for a job and went into the county unemployment office and the woman told me NAYA could help because I’m Native.”
Community Development supports youth, families, and Elders with programs and services that are designed to build individual and family assets in the Native American community. Offering an array of services to support Native individuals, NAYA’s focus on economic wellness includes Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), homeownership classes, financial wellness workshops, microenterprise classes, and career skills development. In FY 2013-2014 Community Development programs served 727 unduplicated participants. NAYA’s microenterprise classes teach participants how to create a business plan, conduct market research, apply for loans, and make a living wage working for themselves by starting their own business. In partnership with Multnomah County we offer emergency rent, mortgage, and utility assistance to keep people in their homes and the lights on. Job-skills coaches provide program participants valuable skills for interviewing, resume building and time management. Workforce development staff connects our community to internships and hands-on learning experiences that prepare them to advance economically. NAYA Construction and Nawitka Catering function as social enterprises that give workers from our community new skills and experience employment.
Anjanet connected with NAYA’s Career Skills Coach. He encouraged her to apply for job-seeker classes which also helped pay for permits and work clothes and also connected her with Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. Anjanet completed the job seeker program, the trade program with Oregon Tradeswomen, and was invited to join a union. “In all my life I never made more than $12 an hour, or minimum wage. Now, I make more than a living wage for my family, I have a 401k, and I credit it to NAYA and Oregon Tradeswomen.” Service Stats: 179 clients accessed housing stability, 623 received energy assistance, 93 recipients participated in homeownership education, 84 Individuals Development Account (IDA) savers, 48 received financial wellness, 149 clients participated in Career Skills Development.
Anjanet returned to NAYA to participate in the Homeownership program. Now a homeowner, Anjanet is working with NAYA’s Individual Development Account (IDA) program to save for a new roof for her house. “NAYA has enabled me to become completely self-sufficient. I never thought I’d be a homeowner, and be making the money I make, and it was all because of NAYA’s support.”
05 06