(Washington, DC) Today, Mayor Bowser announced the grand opening of a new Financial Empowerment Center in Ward 8 to help District residents in all eight Wards manage inflationary pressures and increase their financial literacy through free, professional, one-on-one counseling. The center will be operated by the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB), in partnership with the United Planning Organization (UPO) and Cities for Financial Empowerment.

Financial counseling will be available both in-person and virtually to District residents of all ages and stations in life. Trained coaches will cover topics such as savings, debt reduction, credit improvement and banking access. The center will be located inside the UPO’s Ralph Waldo “Petey” Greene Community Service Center, 2907 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE.

“Now more than ever, our residents need a Fair Shot as they deal with the pressures of inflation as well as the aftermath of the pandemic,” said Mayor Bowser. “The launch of the Financial Empowerment Center in Ward 8 is an important next step in helping residents understand, manage and address their financial needs and goals to get them on the road to economic prosperity.”

The center is part of a nationwide program to address the financial needs of lower and middle-income individuals and families.

“We care about the financial health and well-being of District residents and want to help them not only address financial demands but to also prosper,” said DISB Commissioner Karima M. Woods. “The Financial Empowerment Center will merge financial education with access to programs and services in a unique and personal way that is data-driven and sustainable. Each client will take a financial health assessment to determine the best course of action to meet their individual financial goals and achieve tangible milestones.”

The Financial Empowerment Center is a key program of DISB’s Office of Financial Empowerment and Education. The center will also highlight other DISB programs such as:

• The Bank on DC Program, which provides mainstream access to financial services, products and financial education to unbanked and under-banked households.
• Financially Fit DC, which helps residents make budgets and set plans to reach long-term goals with an online financial platform and curated workshops.
• The Opportunity Accounts Program, a matched savings program that allows qualified residents to save up to $1,500 with up to a 4:1 match of $6,000, growing their Opportunity Account contribution up to $7,500.
• The Financial Navigators Program, which helps residents identify and prioritize to manage income disruptions and other financial concerns resulting from the pandemic.

For more information about DISB programs and services, visit disb.dc.gov.

About DISB

The mission of the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) is three-fold:

(1) cultivate a regulatory environment that protects consumers and attracts and retains financial services firms to the District
(2) empower and educate residents on financial matters
(3) provide financing for District small businesses.

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