Multipliers of Prosperity: Social Platforms, Social Change
Originally published on the Multipliers of Prosperity website.
Every month, Donna Bowen of Mattapan, Massachusetts, communicates with around 45 complete strangers. Some are looking for advice on saving or credit-building, while others want to compare notes on issues like housing or education. They come from all places: not just nearby Boston, but Detroit, Albuquerque and Oakland. Each has a personal goal in mind—like purchasing a home, getting out of debt or starting their own business—and whatever the case, wherever they are, Bowen is there to lend an open ear and a voice of experience.
But Bowen’s not a professional financial coach or expert. And she’s not a community organizer either. She’s a user of a platform called UpTogether, an online network connecting members of low- and moderate-income communities across the country. Developed by the Family Independence Initiative, an Oakland-based nonprofit, UpTogether operates on the premise that low-income individuals are their own best advocates.
Read the full article on the Multipliers of Prosperity website.