Challenge At a Glance:
- How to develop relationships with minority and underserved communities skeptical of banking relationships.
- Communities lacked bank representation, access to financial education and credit resources.
Results At a Glance:
- AFC® became a requirement for Financial Counselors.
- Insights enabled teacher to eliminate two payday loans.
- Veteran inherited his mother’s home through HUD documentation.
The Challenge
While working for the nonprofit arm of Southern Bancorp Community Partners (Southern Bancorp) as its HUD Certified Housing Counselor, Charlestien Harris sought to build trust with minority and underserved communities in the Mississippi Delta after major banks left the region. Despite Southern Bancorp’s commitment, she knew limited access to financial education and credit resources posed a major public hurdle.
The Solution
Southern Bancorp partnered with the Mississippi Community Financial Access Coalition (MCFAC) to launch a 5-week financial bootcamp led by Charlestien at community venues like churches and HUD offices. Recognizing the importance of visibility in minority communities, she used role play, gamification, and interactive workshops to teach financial strategies in a supportive, empathic environment.
The Results
AFC Adoption:
- Southern Bancorp created the Financial Counseling division mandating counselors obtain the AFC within 6 months of onboarding.
Bootcamp Community Impact:
- Lessons guided a teacher to pay off two payday loans.
- Charlestien helped a homeless veteran navigate the HUD request process to transfer his deceased mother’s home to him.
“When you can give someone hope, when you can help people feel comfortable and build trust with them, you can change lives. It’s wonderful to give people a purpose with their money. I believe the AFC certification has helped me do these things and more.”
Charlestien Harris, AFC®
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