Help & Resources for Families

It’s no secret that our economy is facing difficult challenges, and more families are struggling to make ends meet. If you find yourself or your family in need of assistance, the federal government has created a website called GovBenefits, that lets you check your eligibility for over 1000 programs covering a broad range of topics. In these difficult economic times, we need to do everything we can to protect our hard earned money.

By making good decisions with your money now, you can set yourself and your family up for a bright financial future. This section of Your Money New York provides resources and information to help New York families make every dime count.

General Assistance

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) provides resources to assist you in managing your money in good times and in bad, and covers topics such as how to spend less, save more, protect against fraud and borrow wisely. The Federal Citizen Information Center provides an extensive list of money-related resources covering topics such as credit, investing and saving, and retirement planning that you may find helpful.

The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs' Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE) is an initiative designed to educate, empower and protect low income families, to help them build assets and make the most of their financial resources. In addition to a broad public awareness campaign, OFE established the Financial Education Network, a network of government, nonprofit, and financial sector partners, offering financial education classes, workshops, hotlines and one-on-one counseling services in New York City. OFE can also show you how to get money, manage money, save money, and protect your money, and provides information about debt and credit.

New York City's free Financial Empowerment Centers in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens offer one-on-one financial counseling from professional counselors in person or by phone in English and Spanish. These counselors can assist you in developing a budget, dealing with debt issues, or how to apply for benefits you may be eligible for. You can schedule an appointment at a borough’s main Financial Empowerment Center location or a mobile Center location. The main centers can be reached at the following phone numbers: Bronx: (347) 329-3929; Brooklyn: (718) 636-6994; Manhattan: (212) 822-8315 or (212) 453-5365; and Queens: (646) 810-4050 ext. 112.

Teach Your Children About Money

You can use Your Money New York to spark conversations with your children about how to handle money wisely and prepare for their future responsibilities. Discussing the decisions we make every day – while working, spending, paying bills, budgeting, prioritizing “needs” and “wants,” giving to charity, and saving – can be a great way to share practical knowledge and to communicate the values that shape our financial lives.

The State of Washington has compiled some helpful suggestions for talking about the current economic crisis with your children, as well as having more general discussions about money matters. The website also contains links to games and activities designed to let kids have fun while they learn.

Kids.gov, the official kids’ portal for the U.S. government, offers parents and educators a useful overview of government-sponsored web resources for young people. Be sure to visit the “Money” section. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission offers a guide for parents and teachers to help kids learn about saving and investing, with links to additional resources.

Financial Football

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli recently announced an initiative in partnership with the National Football League (NFL), the NFL Players Association and Visa to help young people build their financial knowledge. Although the program is especially intended for high school students, younger people may also enjoy this exciting game. Learn more about the initiative and see how well you can play Financial Football! You may request a free CD copy of Financial Football by visiting the Contact Us page of Your Money New York and providing your address either through email or by calling using the phone numbers provided.

Other topics in this Families section of Your Money New York include:

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