Francesca’s Story
Financial Services Training Leads to a Livable Wage
“I have a career now, not just a job. It feels great especially coming from nothing and working hard to get little extra pay.”
Francesca Moreno-Urbina is a loving mother and an ambitious interactive virtual teller at a local credit union where she makes a livable wage. Only a few years ago, Francesca, a single mother solely supporting her mother and daughter, could not make ends meet. Things that most people consider necessities, such as cable, were luxuries that they could not afford. The bills began to pile up, and she and her daughter, Jazmin, experienced tremendous anxiety.
As the sole earner in her family, her situation worsened when the call center where she worked cut its workforce. “I was devastated. I worked my butt off to provide for Jazmin. It was the roughest time. I only had enough to get through another month,” she said.
Breaking the cycle of poverty
Francesca knew she needed help to break the cycle of poverty and create a better future for herself and her daughter. She took a risk and reached out to Mi Casa Resource Center, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the economic success of Latino and working families in the Denver Metro area. The decision changed her life. As a student in the financial services training program, a program funded by WFCO through our WAGES cohort, Francesca began to thrive.
The future looks bright now. Her career offers high income earning potential and opportunities for promotions. Jazmin loves that she and Francesca can spend more time together and is proud of her mom’s determination.
“My mom inspired me by showing me that anything’s possible, and she made me learn that I can do anything, just the way she did,” said Jazmin.
