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| E-ZINE |
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 "Home
ownership is clearly the best way for lower-income households to
build personal wealth." Building United of Southwestern Pennsylvania is not just working with individuals, Building United is working with the community and not just Homewood-Brushton. BUSP believes that one of the ways of strenghthening the communties is to help families become homeowners and BUSP can help. They have a innovative approach that does not just include becoming a homeowner but rather helping you become debt free with guidance thats taught as well.   Some of the
women leaders of New Life African Methodist Church in Homewood mix
preparations for Palm Sunday services with discussions around the
Faith Saves program. Many financial literacy students are women
who are head of their household.
 Preparing palms, at left, is Kellie Ware Conley, 19, daughter of Rev. Ware.
For Rev. Ware, who has been receiving phone calls from interest church groups and representatives of financial institutions since Faith Saves went public with a press conference in February, the prospect of teaching members of his congregation about ways to save their money is very exciting. "It will have a tremendous ripple effect," he says. "If we help an individual, that will help a family. And if we help a family, that will help a community. And if we help a community, that will help our city. It's a process of transformation. What's not to like about it?"  In
Pittsburgh, as in many other cities in the country, African Americans
face some of the lowest rates of homeownership and four other indicators
of wealth accumulation. Now, a Pittsburgh foundation better known
for funding literacy than financial literacy is partnering with
African-American churches to preach the gospel of financial independence.
Rev. Samuel Ware can walk down the block from his office in the
New Life Methodist Episcopal Church, located in Pittsburgh's Homewood
section, and witness firsthand the problems facing his congregation.
He can see the crumbling sidewalks, boarded-up windows, dirt yards
"all them signs of a community in trouble". He worries about the
high unemployment rate in this piece of the city, the below average
incomes, the challenges of so many single parent families and the
lack of opportunities for many members of his flock. Montell, Willaim
and 11-year-old Devante Grace (above) break form shooting hoops
to walk with Rev. Ware as he tours the neighborhood where he wants
to see the majority of residents as home owners, not renters.Photography: Lynn Johnson Editor: Tom Buell Jr. |
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