Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Opens New Financial Empowerment Center at the Small Business Support Center in Jamaica, Queens

Financial Empowerment Centers Across the City Re-opened for In-person Services, Providing Free, Professional One-on-One Financial Counseling

NEW YORK, NY – Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Commissioner (DCWP) Vilda Vera Mayuga today announced the opening of a brand-new NYC Financial Empowerment Center at the Small Business Support Center in Jamaica, Queens, with financial counseling services provided by Urban Upbound. The Commissioner also announced that 26 Financial Empowerment Centers are now open to the public for in-person appointments. Previously, due to COVID-19, services at many NYC Financial Empowerment Centers were limited to sessions by phone. Financial counseling by phone will continue to be an option for New Yorkers who prefer counseling remotely.

“Every new Financial Empowerment Center we open brings a wealth of resources to the community, helping New Yorkers, including small business owners, manage credit and debt, build savings, and access safe and affordable banking services,” said DCWP Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga. “Today, we’re also thrilled to celebrate the re-opening of our Financial Empowerment Centers for in-person services citywide, further connecting New Yorkers with the support they need to lead healthy financial lives during our city’s inclusive recovery.”

“Equipping New Yorkers with effective financial tools and resources goes hand-in-hand with building a small business-focused economic recovery,” said Kevin D. Kim, Commissioner of the Department of Small Business Services. “SBS is proud to work with DCWP to bring more financial empowerment opportunities to New Yorkers in Jamaica, Queens, and across the five boroughs.”

“Urban Upbound is proud to be a pioneer in offering financial education and counseling services to nearly 70,000 low-income New York residents across the city,” said Bishop Mitchell G. Taylor, Urban Upbound CEO & Co-Founder. “This invaluable tool is core to our framework of diverse income support programs such as NYC Free Tax Prep, workforce development, benefits and the Federal Credit Union membership to offer holistic empowerment services. For over a decade we have partnered with the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to incorporate this successful model of financial counselling citywide. As a result of DCWP’s support, we’ve expanded into Brighton Beach/Coney Island in Brooklyn and we are now expanding further into Jamaica, Queens. We look forward to continuing our mission to financially empower residents throughout New York.”

Launched in 2008 and managed by DCWP’s Office of Financial Empowerment, the NYC Financial Empowerment Centers provide free, one-on-one professional financial counseling and coaching to help New Yorkers create a budget, establish, or improve their credit, set up a spending plan, open a safe and affordable bank account, contact their lenders about debt, including student loans, develop a strategy to reduce debt or lower payments, access emergency government resources, and more.

The NYC Small Business Support Center (SBSC) offers easy access to services from multiple agencies to help businesses start, operate, and grow. At the Center, businesses can get help from DCWP, SBS, and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene all in one convenient location. The SBSC is one of 7 NYC Business Solutions Centers offering financing assistance, business education, pro-bono legal assistance, MWBE certification assistance, recruitment, and regulatory requirements assistance. The Financial Empowerment Centers can help small business owners, 87 percent of whom rely exclusively or in part on their personal credit scores to get the loans they need to grow their business. The NYC Financial Empowerment Centers have served more than 67,000 clients, helping them collectively save more than $10.5 million and reduce their debt by more than $88 million since the inception of the program.

Anyone 18 and older who lives or works in New York City can book a free and confidential appointment with a professional financial counselor by visiting nyc.gov/TalkMoney or calling 311 and saying “Financial Counseling.” Services are available in person or by phone and in multiple languages.  

“Ariva is happy to be a Financial Empowerment Center provider. We are eager to get out into the neighborhoods and support community members with the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection by our side,” said Michael Neiman, Program Manager at Ariva. “Partnering with other nonprofits, community organizations, local banks, and government providers, Ariva is trying to help the Bronx reach its full capacity. Being back in-person services, allows us to return to the compassionate level that people need to be encouraged to thrive.”

“Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation (BSRC), as a part of the pilot and current provider of the Financial Empowerment Program, celebrates the success and the continued expansion of this citywide service,” said Tracy Capers, BSRC Executive Vice President. “Every day financial counseling and coaching is more needed. BSRC is honored to work with DCWP on teaching money management skills to our communities and members and helping them to become more confident in reaching their financial goals. This is a program for everyone who works or lives in NYC. Flourishing the city and our Brooklyn community consists of strong businesses and institutions that are anchored in a culture of equity and inclusion. BSRC’s mission is relentlessly pursuing strategies to close gaps in family and community wealth to ensure all families are prosperous and healthy. Through this program we are empowering New Yorkers and Brooklynites with knowledge, accurate and helpful information, resources and training. Our financial counselors are here to create personalized action plans, to look at each individual's finances and identify opportunities to better manage their money to achieve their financial and personal ambitions. Our organization will continue supporting the program and reaching more underserved communities.”

“The provision of Financial Empowerment Centers is essential to our communities,” said Eileen Torres, BronxWorks Executive Director. “Through our BronxWorks’ Financial Empowerment Center, many of our participants have found it possible to reduce debt, strengthen their credit scores, open a bank account, develop routine savings practices, and more. These Centers are vital to ensuring that our communities have access to high-quality financial education and counseling. We are thrilled that this service is expanding to serve additional NYC communities.”

“We’re excited to see the reach of the Financial Empowerment Centers expand to meet the needs of New Yorkers and adapt to the changing financial realities brought on by the pandemic,” said Justine Zinkin, Neighborhood Trust Chief Executive Officer. “We welcome the new Center in Jamaica, Queens under Urban Upbound to the Financial Empowerment Center family, and look forward to our continued partnership with the City on such a vital public benefit to our communities.”

“The New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) is proud to be part of the NYC Financial Empowerment Center network, providing New Yorkers with access to free, professional, confidential financial counseling services,” said Lisa Rivera, NYLAG President and CEO. “NYLAG celebrates the opening of the new Financial Empowerment Center at the Small Business Support Center in Jamaica, Queens, and echoes Commissioner Mayuga’s excitement to be reopening in-person services for New York City communities.”

“Financial literacy is essential for all New Yorkers,” said Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. “This new Financial Empowerment Center in Jamaica will make invaluable financial counseling and education more accessible for southeast Queens. As we continue to build back from the lows of the pandemic, initiatives like this in all five boroughs are crucial for an equitable recovery.”

“Our Financial Empowerment Centers are vital resource for our small business community, providing one-on-one assistance to help our mom-and-pop stores achieve financial empowerment, improve credit, manage spending, and access critical resources to thrive in today’s economy,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. Thank you to Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga and Mayor Adams for demonstrating your commitment to ensuring our bodegas, barbershops, beauty salons, restaurants, and other local small businesses receive the assistance they need to expand, grow, and flourish for years to come.”

“There’s nothing like personal connection, especially when receiving guidance around the dense and intimidating information involved in financial counseling. The re-opening of Financial Empowerment Centers for in-person sessions, will help to make this information accessible to everyday New Yorkers. I encourage residents to seek the financial counseling they need through our trusted DCWP in whatever setting they feel comfortable in,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.

“The influence of Financial Empowerment Centers plays a critical role for business owners, both current and new,” said Council Member Marjorie Velazquez, Chair of the Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection. Business owners were restricted to virtual services, making in-person services more desirable. There has also been an increase in small businesses since the pandemic, and providing access to agencies and resources, allows them to establish a strong foundation. Many business owners, especially young entrepreneurs, don’t have the financial education to build and maintain their businesses, solely relying on alternative resources. DCWP is making it known they are here to help New Yorkers by financially empowering them to make educated decisions for a successful, long-term business.”

“The re-opening of DCWP’s Financial Empowerment Centers is welcome news,” said Council Member Jim Genarro. For years, residents have been turning to the Financial Empowerment Center as a resource for business owners and average New Yorkers seeking to manage their debt or build their savings during challenging economic times. This is a vital resource in my district – and the entire Borough of Queens, which is why our office directly funds Urban Upbound for their work in financial empowerment at Pomonok Houses. As someone who can attest to their great work, I am thrilled to celebrate the opening of the Jamaica Center and return of in-person services, which well better connect New Yorkers to the financial services they need.”

“As the former Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Affairs (now the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection), I’m thrilled to see valuable services expanded with the opening of a brand-new Financial Empowerment Center in Jamaica, Queens. Teaching New Yorkers how to manage their accounts, payments and debts is an essential service that Financial Empowerment Centers provide and helps historically underserved communities. We need to continue building on this success to empower and educate consumers and working families,” said Council Member Julie Menin.