Financial Knowledge Helps Family
Maribel Jimenez has been a property service worker (janitor) in Los Angeles for 23 years. She is the mother of three children, ages 23, 20, and 10 who works the night shift because it has been conducive to her family’s schedule.
LA property service worker, Maribel Jimenez pictured with her youngest daughter
An immigrant from Oaxaca, Mexico, Maribel has found great value in participating in Building Skills Partnership’s (BSP) courses, which have included English-as-Second Language, Green Janitor Education, Health and Wellness, and also Financial Capabilities programs.
BSP’s comprehensive model of programming focuses on career and educational advancement opportunities for property service workers from low-wage industries and their families throughout California.
Maribel has found great benefit in the free courses that BSP offers, saying “I have not only learned how to communicate with others in my workplace, through taking BSP’s ESL classes, but my family’s health has also improved because I learned the importance of nutrition and exercise in their wellness classes.”
She is happy to have gained new insight and skills, adding: “also, through BSP’s financial programs, I learned a lot and the BSP team did my taxes for free. This was a very large savings and help for my family.”
BSP’s Financial Capabilities programs empower low-wage industry families to create positive financial habits, access the financial mainstream, and achieve financial security.
Financial freedom can be gained and passed on from generation to generation. BSP's Financial Capability programs aim to build & expand participants’ financial wealth.
BSP Financial Capabilities workshops & coaching sessions help participants establish a solid financial knowledge base. Sessions cover topics such as savings, credit, getting rid of debt, & preparing for retirement.
Through the support of the United Way, BSP also provides VITA tax preparation services to participants and teaches individuals how to put their tax refund into savings in order to build wealth.
Maribel values the knowledge she has learned on creating wealth for her family. She says that she plans to “keep working until [her] youngest daughter can be independent. If there’s an opportunity, I would like to be a day porter, now that my youngest is older. I would still keep being a janitor because I have good benefits for myself and my family.”
She encourages her peers to take BSP courses and works as a Peer Trainer, reaching out to fellow colleagues about BSP courses being offered. “I admire BSP for dealing with so many people so well. From all of the classes I’ve taken, I’ve learned so much and I can say I am living my American Dream. I am in the process of purchasing a home, so I’m thankful that BSP can provide these free resources for financial learning.”
Through the generosity of the Siemer Institute through United Way of Greater Los Angeles, BSP’s Financial Capabilities programs are made possible. BSP is grateful to these incredible organizations for their support, impacting the lives of workers in low-wage industries, such as Maribel.