Consistency and determination are what got Latraia on her path to financial health. Like many people, Latraia needed financial coaching when someone told her about Sound Outreach. Latraia moved to the Pacific Northwest from Florida in 2019 looking for new opportunities. She had traveled and lived in a lot of places and was hoping to find a place to call home. She had a good job and wanted to start saving toward her goal of owning a house. She began saving money by living in a tiny home village. She had many interesting neighbors, and the shared “bathroom” was a 50-yard walk each way – in the rain, snow, sleet, and shine – but her determination kept her focused on having a yard of her own one day. As Latraia says: “You have to be selfish yet intentional in the intangibles.”

When Latraia came to Sound Outreach in 2021 she was hoping to improve her financial literacy and increase her credit score. To afford a home, she knew she needed to be more consistent when working on her monthly savings and budget. While meeting with her Financial Counselor, Brandon, she gained the knowledge and resources to begin meeting her savings and budgeting goals. She shared a quote from the book Small Loans, Big Dreams by Alex Counts: “Poverty was not created by poor people, but by the various institutions that limit their problem-solving abilities.”

What also changed for Latraia was self-discipline and the accountability provided by Brandon during their meetings. They would work together on setting goals and actionable steps to achieve success. She set up savings goals and was ready to jump when the opportunity came up to buy her first home in Kent! She is grateful for the guidance that she received from Brandon and the feeling that she always had someone in her corner to talk her through each step. Motivating her to stay focused. Plus, she now has her very own bathroom and backyard to enjoy! Now, she is interested in returning to school to continue her education with the goal of owning her own business one day so that she can give back to the community. She recently shared her personal story working with Sound Outreach at the annual luncheon and inspired the large audience to invest in the programs that helped her to change her outlook on life!

Tony came to Sound Outreach wondering if bankruptcy was his only option. He was deep in credit card debt and was stressed about working out a plan for his finances. Working with his Financial Counselor, Levi Merchant, they discussed options and talked through the situation. Tony did his own research and became more confident in finding solutions. While waiting on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) eligibility they collaborated on many scenarios to come up with possibilities depending on his eligibility.

After discovering that he would not only be receiving SSDI benefits but backpay from those benefits he sprang into action based on the plan he created. Tony made sure to put himself in a secure and sustainable financial position by establishing an Emergency Fund, paying off ALL his credit card debt, and paying for a modest vehicle in cash. His credit score increased by +73 points in response to his actions. He now has an affordable apartment and is self-sustainable. He has set himself up for the future and has room in his budget for fun money!

David was not having any luck finding a job. His mother saw him struggling and told him about the Bethel CSF. David started working with his Financial Counselor, Levi, to gain independence. It took time and David went on over 20 interviews around the community. He had the education, but no job experience. It was also important to find the right fit since David has a neurological variation. Fortunately, David and his coach didn’t give up and he finally was hired on in the IT Department at a local casino. Almost two years later, David is thriving, he paid off all his student loans, maxed out his 401k, improved his credit score by 20+ points, and is currently looking for a place to live closer to his job.

When Pierce County resident Ronita started working with Sound Outreach, and financial coach Levi Merchant, she had the ambitious goal of starting a nonprofit focusing on Supportive Housing Services.  With Levi’s help she was able to not only improve her own situation, but achieve grants to start her nonprofit Caring With Compassion Community and is now poised to help others.

“I would like to thank Sound Outreach (SO) for their financial coaching services I received. Levi  Merchant was the financial coach assigned to me after I completed my intake/financial assessment we agreed to meet monthly. I’m currently receiving unemployment, in the process of establishing my nonprofit operations. Levi did an outstanding job reviewing my current financial status, with me to determine an action plan. I discussed with Levi my financial goals short/long term. I was able to have medical bills that were in collections removed, after applying and qualifying for medical charity assistance. My nonprofit Caring With Compassion Community (CWCC) was recently awarded its first grant from “Office of Crime Victims” as a “Crime Victims Service Center” (CVSC) and a “Foundational Community Supports” (FCS) provider, for “Supported Housing” and “Supported Employment” services. CWCC is currently accepting “Supportive Housing” referrals for Medicaid eligible individuals. I look forward to collaborating/partnering with SO in the future and supporting our community members. Thank you.”