BLESSED TO SERVE THE PEOPLE ABQ BLESS FUND HELPS BUILD FINANCIAL SAFETY NETS

the pandemic, the fund started with a GoFundMe to help businesspeople struggling with bills. Soon a grant allowed the BLESS Fund to offer financial literacy programs: managing books, generating savings, assessing income streams, and weighing tax approaches.

people from the richest continent on the planet, there’s no reason for us to live lives of austerity, to give up on our dreams. If we’re there for each other, if we bring our resources together, we can do amazing things.”

In his free time, Jay Wilson likes to skydive. “I put the parachute on and I jump out of a perfectly good plane,” he laughs.

Since 2021, however, Wilson has been building a safety net through the Albuquerque BLESS Fund. BLESS stands for Black Economic Security & Solidarity and it’s part of the Chisholm Table cohort of organizations focused on capacity-building. At the height of

The BLESS Fund also gives grants to Black-owned businesses, with recent awardees including a Black skincare line, an apothecary, and an auto-repair shop.

Each April, to commemorate the historic 1968 Fair Housing Bill, the fund offers an online educational series with information about credit, buying a house, and housing protections. The aim is to be “equipping folks to make sure they can have their shot at the American Dream.”

This June, BLESS rolls out the Sky High Achievement Award, offering thirty $1000 scholarships–and indoor skydiving experiences. “We wanted to do something to give the kids a new opportunity,” says Wilson. For Financial Literacy Month, Wilson adds, “Finances are critical. As