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Immigrant Financial Integration Study
Whether immigration reform happens this year or in the years to come, the time to develop ideas or pilot integration programs is ... now. With this in mind and the support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, MAF kicked off the “Immigrant Financial Integration Study” to inform the development of strategic, innovative and culturally-relevant financial products that can help create a path for immigrant integration. The study will inform policy makers, policy advocates and financial industry stakeholders on the motivations and cultural dispositions of immigrants towards finances, what they perceive as barriers to financial services, and what they see as solutions to participation in the financial mainstream. We designed this study following a participatory action research model where we encourage and engage community participation in all aspects of the study. To inform and guide this important effort, we organized a distinguished advisory committee that includes:
A major component of the study is to collect at least 200 surveys. MAF is asking clients as well as clients of partner organizations and Mission residents to complete the survey. In just 2 weeks since launching the study, we have collected 87 surveys- almost half way to our goal of 200! MAF's dedicated staff and volunteers will continue to do outreach on behalf of the study and collect surveys until the middle of May. Beginning in early May, MAF will begin a series of community conversations - focus groups - that will explore the issues of financial integration at a deeper and richer level so that meaningful qualitative data can also be collected for the study. Click here to view the survey online Traditional lending goes mainstream
These results are very exciting. Anne Stuhldreher was able to capture the sprit and essence of this work in an article that recently ran in the SF Chronicle. Click here to read the article 2009 Mission Asset Building Fair On Saturday February 28th, the Mission Asset Fund, Mission Community Council and Earn It! Keep It! Save It! convened the 2009 Mission Asset Building Fair: Sacando Provecho a Su Dinero (Making the Most of Your Money During Difficult Times) at the Women’s Building. The fair brought together a host of community-based organizations, banks and credit unions to share their services and programs with over 200 community members who attended this entertaining and family-friendly event.
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MAF in the Media: Groundbreaking program in SF offers loans to needy residents - ABC 7 On Your Side Local program in San Francisco helps low-income families save - ABC 7 On Your Side Traditional lending goes mainstream - SF Chronicle Nonprofit Turns Latin Custom Into a U.S. Savings Account - Mission Local Opening financial doors for residents - El Tecolote Con el ITIN puede pagar sus impuestos - El Mensajero Calendar of Events: MAF IDA Saver Charla MAF Program Orientation Helping Nonprofits Build Stronger Credit in their Communities MAF Program Orientation MAF is possible with the generous support from: Annie E. Casey Foundation • Citibank • Friedman Family Foundation • Gerbode Foundation • Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund • Levi Strauss Foundation • San Francisco Foundation • San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Community Investment • United Way of the Bay Area • Walter and Elise Haas Fund |
The White House recently indicated that they will initiate conversations on how to fix our broken immigration system as soon as this year. President Obama re-stated his support in finding a path to legalize the estimated 11.9 million undocumented US residents, a path that will likely be difficult and costly for many immigrant families. And such a path will not end with legalization alone. Many immigrants will find it difficult to move from living in the margins of society and integrate themselves into the mainstream, in the full light of day. 
Since launching Cestas Populares, MAF’s credit building and peer lending program in October 2008, we now have 4 lending circles with a total of 28 participants and lending activity of $2,900 per month. With this innovative program, we are helping participants establish or improve their credit scores. And preliminary results are very encouraging.
For one group, their mean scores went from 609 to 661, an increase of 52 points.
The 2009 Mission Asset Building Fair was a community-wide success for everyone involved, from the planning committee to participants at the event. The breadth of information offered at the fair, the level of community engagement and the community-wide visibility made this a true community celebration.
