Irvine, CA (May 11, 2023) – Orange County United Way recently celebrated the opening of its newest SparkPoint OC financial empowerment center at Kinoshita Elementary School in San Juan Capistrano, CA thanks to a generous commitment of $750,000 over the next five years from the Pacific Life Foundation. SparkPoint OC provides free access to one-on-one financial coaching to support stability, training, and financial education for Orange County’s low-income families.
“Over the last several years, we have seen a great need within South Orange County to increase access to financial literacy services and resources. Low-income families of students at Kinoshita Elementary now have an opportunity to benefit from these free services to meet their financial goals and set them on the path to financial stability and self-sufficiency,” said Susan B. Parks, President and CEO of Orange County United Way. “Thanks to generous support from the Pacific Life Foundation and members of the community, we can help these families thrive, break the cycle of poverty and continue to play a role in financial education across the county.”
“Providing individuals and families with long-term solutions that give them the financial security they need for years to come is at the heart of Pacific Life,” said Tennyson Oyler, President of the Pacific Life Foundation. “To align with this mission, the Pacific Life Foundation is proud to invest in results-driven, community-based programs that reach those who would otherwise have little to no access to tools that will help them achieve their financial goals. Through SparkPoint OC, we look forward to supporting families at Kinoshita Elementary along their journey to become financially secure.”
Nearly 56% of the Kinoshita student body falls under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, a federal law created to support the education of children within low income communities including all individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.
In 2022, Orange County United Way partnered with Capistrano Unified School District to serve students and families at the R.H. Dana Elementary School in Dana Point. Partnering once again with the school district, the Kinoshita Elementary School location will be the latest addition to aid in community needs and financial development for low-income families. With the intention of improving self-sufficiency, the center will offer step-by-step resources for families to help increase income, manage credit, and build assets by developing attainable financial goals. This is the second SparkPoint OC school location in South Orange County.
“Our Kinoshita community is excited and determined!” said Jacqueline Campbell, Kinoshita Elementary School Principal. “SparkPoint OC will ignite our community to achieve our potential—individually, as a family, school-wide and as a community. We are so grateful for this opportunity to grow.”
For more information about SparkPoint OC, visit: https://www.unitedwayoc.org/how-we-are-doing-more/united-for-financial-security/sparkpoint-oc/.
ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY UNITED WAY
Orange County United Way is committed to breaking barriers and improving lives for everyone who lives here. Through our three key initiatives—United for Student Success℠, United for Financial Security℠, and United to End Homelessness℠—we are working to ensure local students succeed, struggling OC families gain financial security, and our homeless neighbors find a place to call home. We step up to actively address the critical issues facing our community and we go the extra mile to make sure our residents have the support they need. We are committed to caring for one another. That’s #TheOCWay.
To learn more or discover how you can help, visit UnitedWayOC.org.
Orange County United Way is a standalone, independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
ABOUT PACIFIC LIFE AND THE PACIFIC LIFE FOUNDATION
For more than 150 years, Pacific Life has helped millions of individuals and families with their financial needs through a wide range of life insurance products and annuities, and offers a variety of investment products and services to individuals, businesses, and pension plans. Whether your goal is to protect loved ones or grow your assets for retirement, Pacific Life offers innovative products and services that provide value and financial security for current and future generations. Pacific Life counts more than half of the 100 largest U.S. companies as its clients and has been named one of the 2023 World’s Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute. For additional company information, including current financial strength ratings, visit www.PacificLife.com.
The Pacific Life Foundation (the Foundation) was established in 1984. Together with Pacific Life, the Foundation has contributed $142 million to community and national nonprofit organizations. Grants are made to organizations that address a broad spectrum of social needs.
Pacific Life refers to Pacific Life Insurance Company and its affiliates, including Pacific Life & Annuity Company. Client count as of June 2022 is compiled by Pacific Life using the 2022 FORTUNE 500® list.
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Media Contact: Annie Noebel, [email protected], (949) 525-7024
