Save Up Program

The RISE Save Up program is multi-faceted and incorporates the Greater Memphis Financial Empowerment Center (GMFEC) as an essential component to assisting ALL residents of Shelby County in managing their financial wellness. This one-two punch that RISE provides is a knockout combination that clobbers debt.  Our programs make our city greater in terms of higher credit ratings, lower foreclosure rates and assurance that taxpayers are better informed and engaged.   

One of our participants, Mr. Dennis first became aware of Save Up and the GMFEC, when he attended a First-time Homebuyer Seminar, where a member of the GMFEC staff pulled and reviewed his credit report, and offered him an opportunity to schedule an appointment with a financial counselor.  He said, “I had been renting for the last six years and felt that it was time for a change.  So, not being a homeowner was my biggest struggle at the time.”

Since working with a financial counselor, Mr. Dennis has made great strides financially.  He has improved his credit score by over 30 points, paid off over $3,000 in debt, and believes that he will be able to purchase a home soon.  “Having someone to work with me has kept me focused, because I believe that I would have gotten distracted if I did not have a counselor working with me.”  He says that he would tell everyone that it has been encouraging and inspirational to be able to receive this assistance and he will not be deterred by anything that stands in his way of reaching his goal of becoming a homeowner.

The Greater Memphis Financial Empowerment Center/GMFEC is an exciting collaboration between the RISE Foundation, the Shelby County Trustee’s office and the Women’s Foundation For A Greater Memphis that provides free, one-on-one counseling by certified financial counselors to citizens of Memphis and Shelby County.