The city of Lansing has announced a $1.5 million grant from a program started by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, to establish a financial empowerment center.
Starting in March, the center will offer free one-on-one counseling to low-income residents aimed at helping them achieve financial stability. Counseling will run for three years.
Lansing is the smallest of five cities to get grants from Bloomberg Philanthropies, but City Treasurer Amy Kraus describes the city as “a well, already primed”.
"We want to do more than give people a fish; we want to teach them how to fish," says Bishop David Maxwell with the Lansing Office of Community and Faith Based Initiatives.
Capital Area Community Services will house the project along with four satellite locations.
The other cities getting grants this year for similar programs are Denver, Philadelphia, Nashville and San Antonio.
