The Money Smart Week Fox Cities Financial Makeover Challenge, now in its fourth year, is designed to help local families improve their financial situations.  Participants meet one-on-one with financial counselors who help them develop specific goals and strategies to increase their savings, reduce debt and trim expenses. The Challenge runs from December 15, 2011 until April 15, 2012. 

The four participants who are working with counselors from Goodwill’s Financial Information and Service Center (FISC) program are Amy and Nate Daily of Appleton, Joe and Jessica Placek of Kaukauna, Kristopher and Sandra Quevillon of Appleton, as well as Angela and Steve Westerhouse of Sherwood.

To hear them tell their own stories in their own words, please click here.

The family that comes the closest to meeting its goals will win the Challenge and receive a cash prize of $3,500.  The three runners-up will each receive a $750 prize. The winner will be announced during a special awards event after the Challenge ends in April.  This will also be an opportunity for each participant to share what the Challenge has meant to them. 

“Participating in the Financial Makeover Challenge awards celebration has been so heart-rending for me,” said Rita O’Brien, Career and Technical Education program leader with the Appleton Area School District.

“To hear the challenges each individual had to overcome and the positive changes it has made in their families is so uplifting,” she said.  “I walk out of the celebration each year, knowing that we have made a difference in the financial and emotional lives of all involved.  FISC does an amazing job!”

The following organizations are members of the Fox Cities Money Smart Week Coalition that cosponsors the Financial Makeover Challenge:  Appleton Area School District, Appleton Public Library, Capital Credit Union, Coalesce, Inc., Community First Credit Union, Congressman Reid Ribble’s office, FISC, Fond du Lac Public Library, Fox Communities Credit Union, Fox Valley Technical College, Lakeview Credit Union, Menasha Public Library, New York Life Insurance Company, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Unison Credit Union, UW-Extension-Outagamie County, and the Women’s Fund for the Fox Valley Region.