Creating A World Where All Women & Girls Are Financially Empowered
WHO WE ARE
Women's Money Matters builds the financial wellness, confidence, and security of women and girls living on low-incomes through a unique program that combines instructional workshops and personal, one-to-one coaching.
GET INVOLVED
OUR IMPACT
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WHY WOMEN & GIRLS?
Women earn 82 cents for every dollar men earn in the US and the gap is larger for women of color.
The financial literacy gap between men and women in the US is about 59% wider than the rest of the world.
33% single mother households in Massachusetts live in poverty
IN THEIR WORDS
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Women`s Money Matters is more than just financial education—it`s a supportive community where you`ll gain the tools AND the personal attention you deserve. Join us to transform your relationship with money alongside other women in a supportive environment!
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Upcoming Start Dates for 8-week Programs
📅 Financial Futures (for adults) Program Start Dates
Nov 15th | Saturdays | 9:30 AM
Nov 18th | Tuesdays | 6:30 PM
Nov 24th | Mondays | 12 PM
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📅 Life Launch (ages 14-22) 11-Week Program
Nov 18th | Tuesdays | 6 PM
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📅Level Up Workshop – for Graduates and Current Participants
Nov 6th | Debt & Bankruptcy 101 | Thursday | 6:30pm
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See links below to join us!
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and part of this awareness is understanding the toll of financial abuse. Nearly all domestic violence survivors experience financial abuse—control tactics that trap survivors and make it difficult to leave or rebuild their lives. This can include restricting access to funds, opening accounts in a survivor`s name and destroying their credit, controlling all spending and finances, using money as leverage, or interfering with someone`s ability to earn income.
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We are honored to partner with amazing organizations that offer critical advocacy, counseling, and resources to survivors, such as Jane Doe, The Second Step, Rosie’s Place, and our new partner organization, The Resilience Center of Franklin County. The first cohort begins at The Resilience Center next month, and we recently completed a Level-Up on Financial Abuse with Second Step.
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You are not alone. If you`re experiencing domestic violence, there is confidential support available whenever you`re ready. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is open 24/7: call 1-800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788. Massachusetts SafeLink: 1-877-785-2020.
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See websites for our partner organizations below:
Advocacy in action! There’s been a significant step forward in ensuring all Massachusetts students receive financial education before graduating high school: The Massachusetts House Education Committee has voted 11-0 to approve House Bill 627, an Act that strengthens the standards of financial literacy for K-12 throughout the commonwealth.
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Key parts of the bill: ✅Minimum of 1/2 semester course in personal finance required to graduate from HS ✅Establishes the Financial Literacy Trust Fund ✅ Requires experiential learning ✅Creates a commission to study financial resources for adults.
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This unanimous vote demonstrates strong bipartisan support for financial literacy education. The bill now moves to the House Committee on Ways and Means for further review.
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While this is tremendous progress, our advocacy work continues. We`ll keep pushing for: Expanded standards for grades K-8 District accountability and reporting requirements to DESE
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Your voices made this happen. Thank you to everyone who testified, wrote letters, and stood up for financial education equity in Massachusetts.
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Bill details: Bill H.627
What do you think? Let your legislators know! Share your story! Keep the momentum going - continue writing to your legislators – link in comments.
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#FinancialEducation #Massachusetts #Advocacy #WomensMoneyMatters #FinancialLiteracy #EquityInEducation
It`s been an inspiring month connecting with partners and community leaders driving change! We are deeply grateful to be part of such a strong network of organizations and leaders who share our unified mission of creating equitable opportunities and brighter futures for women and girls throughout Massachusetts.
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We recently joined the @womensfundec 2025 Grantee Celebration Breakfast. Attended by Jenna Olson, WMM Senior Development Manager, we were honored to be a part of a collective of organizations that continue to build opportunity, stability, and hope for women and girls across our communities.
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WMM Executive Director, Danielle Piskadlo, attended the @womensfoundationma`s Make Her Mark fundraising event - a night celebrating girls, education, & possibility. Every dollar raised at the event supports women and girl-serving nonprofits in some of the most under-resourced communities across Massachusetts.
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Later in the month, we joined the @easternbank Foundation`s Celebration of Social Justice, honoring Nancy Huntington Stager for her leadership and lasting contributions to advancing social justice. Pictured: Bernadette Wheeler, WMM`s Chief Program Officer, alongside Laurie Calvert, Director of Finance at Somerville Community Corporation — a longtime WMM volunteer and former program lead.
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And finally, Women`s Money Matters was honored to be named the 2025 McNeil Community Impact Award Honoree by @lcprobono, recognized for our work empowering women and girls living on low incomes to strengthen their financial health and create more secure futures for their families and communities. Pictured is Board member Imran Malek with WMM Executive Director Danielle Piskadlo, who received the award on behalf of the WMM team.
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If you or someone you know relies on SNAP (food stamps), please read this carefully and share widely.
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What`s Happening?
Due to the ongoing government shutdown, approximately 42 million Americans may not receive their SNAP benefits in November. Multiple states have already issued warnings that benefits may be delayed or not issued at all starting November 1st.
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What to do:
Use remaining October benefits to stock up on shelf-stable foods (canned goods, rice, pasta, dried beans, peanut butter)
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Check your EBT card balance - some states warn that October balances may not carry over
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Update your contact information with your state SNAP office to receive alerts
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Submit any pending applications or renewals immediately - even if processing is delayed, your case will move forward once the shutdown ends
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Need food now? Find Local Options near you:
🟢Feeding America Food Bank Locator: feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank
🟢Massachusetts residents: Call Project Bread`s FoodSource Hotline at 1-800-645-8333
🟢Find local food pantries: Visit mass.gov/how-to/find-a-local-food-bank
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Important to Know:
✅ Benefits will be reimbursed once the government reopens - this is a delay, not a permanent cut
✅ Keep applying/renewing - your application will be processed when operations resume
✅ Food banks are preparing for increased demand but cannot fully replace SNAP (for every 1 meal food banks provide, SNAP provides 9)
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We`re in this together. Check on your neighbors, friends, and family members who receive SNAP and please share this information with anyone who might need it.
We’re inviting our WMM community to our next Level Up workshop: Debt & Bankruptcy 101. This one-time session is designed for individuals and families living on limited income who want to better understand how to manage debt and whether bankruptcy might be the right step.
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Exclusively for WMM grads, current participants, and volunteers
📅 November 6th | 6:30-8 PM EST | Virtual In English
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If you’re living paycheck to paycheck or feeling overwhelmed by debt, this session will give you practical guidance and confidence to take control of your finances.
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Ready to level up? Register at the link in the comments, or Text: 617-297-7376 or Email: programs@womensmoneymatters.org
What an incredible morning! Our Elevate Her Future celebration filled the Boston Marriott Newton with support, community, and commitment. Thank you to Angel Burgado, VP, Community Partnership Manager at @santanderbankus , for being our amazing MC and reminding us that "giving hope is free"—a message that resonated throughout the morning.
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Sarah Samuels, CFA, CAIA, (@Samuesn1) Partner and Head of Investment Manager Research at NEPC, inspired us with her journey from administrative assistant to partner overseeing $1.8 trillion in assets. As founder of @30secondsofbravery and author of Braving Our Savings, she challenged us to take brave steps toward financial empowerment and encouraged young girls to transform money into capital by investing early.
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We were honored to present the WMM Elevate Her Future Award to Patti Satterthwaite, President of the @womensfoundationma. More than a funder, WFM has been a partner and visionary force, helping us dream bigger and drive systemic change for women and girls across Massachusetts.
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The heart of our celebration was hearing personal stories of transformation from women in our programs: Raysa Ortega Cruz, Assistant Manager at Rockland Trust and WMM Volunteer; Dawnmarie Simpson, WMM Program Lead and Coach; and Lumina Mathurin, WMM Graduate turned Coach. Their stories showed how relationships, paired with practical skills, create lasting financial empowerment.
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Corporate Sponsors: @rockland_trust 💫 @grasshopperbank 💫 @experienceberrydunn 💫 @statestreetim_us 💫 Acadian 💫 @womensbusinessleague
Individual Sponsors: 💫 @JessicaAikenScola, Sound View Financial Advisors 💫 Carolyn M. Wood, WMM Board Member 💫 Family of Karol Ostberg
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To every volunteer, funder, partner, sponsor, and participant who showed up or supported our event from afar —thank you for believing in this work. Together, we`re proving that financial empowerment, plus community, creates true transformation. Here`s to the next 15 years!
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We were thrilled to attend the 4th Annual Financial Equity Summit 2025 hosted by the Partnership for Financial Equity!
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Our Chief Programs Officer, Bernadette Wheeler, joined colleagues and community leaders for this impactful event at The Vault in Lawrence—a beautifully converted historic bank that set the perfect tone for conversations about the future of community banking.
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The day featured compelling discussions, including a panel on "What Does Trust in Banking Really Mean?" led by Jason Andrade. This session explored fascinating new research on what trust means in today`s financial landscape and how institutions can strengthen relationships with the communities they serve. We also engaged in thoughtful conversations with local banks about the future of in-person banking and how financial institutions can better meet community needs.
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It was wonderful to reconnect with Brianne DiBiase from Rockland Trust and Aida Franquiz from Leader Bank, both of whom serve as coaches and presenters in our programs. The summit closed with a keynote from Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman, author of "The Double Tax: How Women of Color are Overcharged and Underpaid," a critical topic of importance in financial equity.
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It was great to strengthen our network of our friends at ACT Lawrence, led by CEO Erika Hernandez, and Lawrence CommunityWorks, led by CEO Jess Andors. Both organizations are doing remarkable work in the community, supported by local financial institutions, to meet the needs of their clients and create meaningful, lasting impact.
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Thank you to the Partnership for Financial Equity for bringing us together such an important conversation!
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#FinancialEquity #CommunityBanking #Lawrence #BankingWithPurpose
Elevate Her Future is Coming Up This Friday!
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Join us this Friday, October 17th from 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM at the Boston Marriott Newton (2345 Commonwealth Ave, Newton) as we celebrate 15 years of empowering women and girls with financial skills and resources.
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Start your morning with breakfast and inspiration, connect with others committed to making a difference, and help shape the future of financial empowerment.
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Tickets: $75 – Available online and at the door. Learn more and purchase tickets at our website.
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Thank you to our wonderful sponsors: @rockland_trust, Acadian, @grasshopperbank, @experienceberrydunn, @womensbusinessleague, and @statestreetim_us. Additional thanks to WMM Board Member Carolyn M. Wood, The Family of
Karol Ostberg, WMM AG Member Jessica Scola, and all of our anonymous donors.
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We`ll see you all on Friday!
We are thrilled to share that Women’s Money Matters has received an $82,500 grant from the @MassMutual Foundation to bring our financial wellness programs to Springfield, MA—one of the areas of greatest need in the state. With this support, we will extend our proven model of financial literacy workshops, personalized coaching, and community-based support to more women striving to build brighter, more secure futures for themselves and their families.
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As part of this expansion, we are also investing $7,500 to join @unioncapitalnetwork, a powerful community network - and fellow MassMutual Foundation grantee - that strengthens local connections by engaging families in programs, sharing resources, and supporting collective action.
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Why Springfield? The need is urgent: Springfield’s poverty rate (25.26%) is more than double the Massachusetts average (11.5%), and nearly 1 in 3 women in Springfield (29.1%) lives in poverty, compared to just 9.9% in Quincy.
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This grant builds on a deep and growing partnership with the MassMutual Foundation. We are deeply grateful to the MassMutual Foundation for their generous investment and continued commitment to advancing financial security for women and families across Massachusetts. Together, we are building stronger, more resilient communities.
#WomensMoneyMatters #MassMutual #UnionCapital
Financial confidence grows through connection to a community that believes in empowerment and possibility. Join us at Elevate Her Future on October 17th as we celebrate the women and girls whose financial journeys are supported by a community of partners, coaches, and advocates.
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We are grateful for the support of our Elevate Her Future sponsors, whose leadership and commitment strengthen our network of support:
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Corporate Sponsors:
💫 @rockland_trust 💫 @grasshopperbank 💫 @experienceberrydunn 💫 @statestreetim_us 💫 Acadian 💫 @womensbusinessleague
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Individual Sponsors:
💫 Jessica Scola, Sound View Financial Advisors 💫 Carolyn M. Wood, WMM Board Member 💫 Family of Karol Ostberg
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Elevate Her Future is your opportunity to meet the WMM community of support in person and connect with others who share our commitment to this mission. When a woman gains the confidence and skills to take control of her financial future, it’s often thanks to a community that believes in her potential.
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Come celebrate 15 years of Women’s Money Matters and look ahead to an even brighter future together.
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📅 Friday, October 17th, 2025 | 8:30–10:30 AM
📍 Boston Marriott Newton
🎟️ Tickets: $75 individual
Women`s Money Matters is partnering with The Second Step for this workshop. The workshop will explore the fundamentals of domestic violence with a special focus on financial abuse—how to recognize it, respond with care, and support someone using practical tools and real-life scenarios. We’ll also share more about The Second Step’s work and how to connect with resources.
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Wednesday, October 15th, 6:00 PM EST Virtual in English
Ready to level up? Register at the link in the comments, or Text: 617-297-7376 or Email: programs@womensmoneymatters.org
