Perla is a graduate from the PIE program and now a nursing graduate with a Bachelor of Nursing degree from Regis University. “PIE helped me pay down debt and see how easy it was to save money. It helped me develop an education around saving money that I passed along to my family.”
As the first in her family to graduate college, Perla was working part-time to maintain financial stability while enrolled in nursing school. “I was helping my two younger brothers pay off their tuition on top of my own and it became too financially challenging”, Perla says. That’s when the PIE program offered much needed financial support, “I was able to pay off most of the bills I was acquiring from school and stay out of credit card debt.”
“The PIE workshops were helpful, because my parents didn’t have savings and live pay check to pay check. PIE encouraged my whole family to talk about savings and work towards achieving savings goals.” Classes around financial planning and long-term savings are a fundamental aspect of the PIE program.
“I heard about the PIE program while volunteering with children in the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) program.” After graduating from Colorado State University with a degree in Biology, Perla decided to combine her passion for caregiving and science and pursue a degree in nursing. She has recently received a Bachelor of Nursing and is now working in the New Graduate Residency Program at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Eventually, Perla’s goal is to continue onto a nursing master’s program to become a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.
Resources for Post-Secondary Education:
Scholarships:
- Colorado Women’s Education Foundation http://cwef.org/scholarships/how-to-apply/
- Elevations Credit Union: https://www.elevationscu.com/community/elevations-foundation/scholarships?homepage-hero
- Front Range Community College:
- https://www.frontrange.edu/paying-for-college/scholarships
- https://www.frontrange.edu/paying-for-college/tuition-discount-programs
- Institute of Business and Medical Careers: https://ibmc.edu/admissions/paying-for-college/scholarships/
- Longmont Community Foundation: https://longmontfoundation.org/funds/scholarships-awards/
- University of Colorado Boulder: https://www.colorado.edu/scholarships/tips-apply/effective-scholarship-searches
Other Resources:
- America Saves: https://americasaves.org/for-savers/set-a-goal-what-to-save-for/save-for-education
- Bank of America, Better Money Habits: https://bettermoneyhabits.bankofamerica.com/en/college
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Paying for College Guide: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/paying-for-college/
- Educational Opportunity Center: https://www.ccd.edu/org/educational-opportunity-center
ABOUT THE PERSONAL INVESTMENT ENTERPRISE (PIE) PROGRAM
The Personal Investment Enterprise (PIE) program is a local savings program provided through Community Action Programs of Boulder County and Foothills United Way. The program is designed for low-income families to enroll in financial literacy classes and save through a matched saving account at a rate of 4 to 1. The first step in applying to the program is to attend an orientation meeting with Nino Gallo at Community Action Programs at Boulder County. Nino may be reached at 303-441-3998 or at [email protected]. For more information on the PIE program visit http://www.bouldercounty.org/family/financial/pages/pie.aspx.
