Family Support

Loan and Financial Education Program

Lower Fairfield County

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Are you struggling to pay your bills each month? Feeling overwhelmed by your finances and have no idea where to start? Catholic Charities Loan and Financial Education program has been serving the community for over 20 years. We serve all people without regard to age, race, or religion. We are dedicated to providing free financial education and budgeting services to those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged. Our caring and experienced counselors will work with you one-on-one to develop a personalized budget, offer tips on how to save money, and provide resources for achieving your financial goals. Investing in your financial well-being has never been more important. Don’t let fear or financial stress hold you back any longer.

Loans are available to qualified applicants for cars, Immigration fees, childcare costs, home repairs, job training, school tuition, and other unplanned expenses. Loans are issued to a third party and cannot be used for past due bills or outstanding debt. (Low interest loans take an average of 4 to 6 weeks for approval.)

Services

• Personalized budgeting advice
• Helpful financial education and resource materials
• One-on-one support during the loan process
• Access to loans up to $10,000 at a low 5.5% interest rate regardless of a bad credit score of no credit history. The interest rate on the loan never changes.

• Flexible loan repayment schedule
• Referral to other community resources
• Peace of mind provided by Catholic Charities, one of the largest and oldest social service providers in Connecticut

Who to Contact

Diane Barston, Manager
203-767-4854
[email protected]

Location

120 East Avenue 2nd Floor
Norwalk, CT 06851
(Located across the street from Norwalk City Hall)

Program Hours

Monday-Friday
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (please call or email for an appointment)

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Testimonials

At this time in my life it seems that a rain storm started and kept going.  One day I decided to reach out for help which is a hard thing to do, and where do you start?   I was referred to Catholic Charities and then I met Diane Barston. Another blessing!! As soon as I spoke with her, I felt safe and I was in good hands. This loan helped me to be able to get on my feet to meet more than one goal. Financial stability, safety for my family and overall better quality of life.

Charlotte

Loan and Financial Education Program Client

The Latest Financial News

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Important Documents and Information

Events such as job loss, medical emergencies, car repairs and more can happen to anyone, without warning or time to prepare. But there’s one way to get some peace of mind before these events happen: An emergency fund. Read how to start (and build) your emergency fund here:

www.bankrate.com/emergency-fund

Family Loan Program Initial Application
Making A Budget
Personal Budget Worksheet

Loan and Financial Education Program in the news:

Navigating Inflation: How Catholic Charities Helps Those in Need

Navigating Inflation: How Catholic Charities Helps Those in Need

During periods of inflation, every dollar buys less than it did before, eroding purchasing power, affecting savings, and impacting overall financial well-being. “Financial literacy is always an important tool for our clients. However, in hard economic times when inflation is high, the importance of financial literacy cannot be overstated,” states Donoghue. “It is one of the reasons why Catholic Charities offers two financial literacy programs, one in Danbury and one in Norwalk. We have seen how crucial financial literacy is for the long-term success of our clients.”

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Learn about the Loan and Financial Education Program in this video from New Covenant Center!

Program funds generously provided by:

This program was made possible [in part] by Fairfield County’s Community Foundation and United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut.