EMPath is thrilled to congratulate this year’s graduates of our Career Family Opportunity (CFO) program! This year, six amazing women completed the five-year CFO program, with a combined total of 512 goals set. Two additional families completed a two-year Intergen program, EMPath’s whole family economic mobility coaching approach, as a precursor to CFO.

Since CFO’s annual in-person graduation ceremony couldn’t be held because of the coronavirus pandemic, graduates, current participants, mentors, and other EMPath staff gathered on Zoom for a virtual celebration on Saturday, August 15.

During the event, mentors recognized current and graduating participants’ many accomplishments and impressive outcomes from the past year. Among all 2019-2020 CFO participants combined (both graduates and current participants), 691 goals were set in Fiscal Year 2020, with an average goal achievement rate of 70%. 54% of participants increased their credit score, with an average increase of 56 points. 48% of participants increased their monthly earned income; the average increase was $1,454. Participants earned 16 degrees total and saved a combined $38,148 in Individual Development Accounts (IDAs).

In order to graduate from CFO, participants must have been in the program for at least two years, have a career job that is making at least 60% Area Median Income (AMI) for their household size (and that tracks towards 80% AMI), accumulate $3,425 of their own money in their IDA (which is matched 2:1 if they meet all other graduation requirements), and meet with EMPath’s Financial Specialist to discuss plans for their IDA savings.

Mentors spoke about each individual graduate’s journey and growth throughout their time in the program. “All of our graduates today have continued to persevere despite these uncertain and unsettling times,” Sarah Bellemore, Director of CFO and Intergen, said at the celebration. “Graduating from the CFO program takes deep commitment – commitment to your goals, commitment to being held accountable, and commitment to yourself. You have each carved out your own pathway to a brighter future for yourselves and your families.”

CFO was the first program at EMPath to pilot the organization’s signature coaching approach, Mobility Mentoring®. In the program, mentors support participants in setting education, career, family, well-being, and financial goals. This comprehensive approach – used across all EMPath programs – is based on the effects of toxic stress on the brain and is rooted in the idea that effective, empowering mentoring involves the mentor and participant partnering to work toward the participant’s goals. 53 participants who have yet to graduate remain enrolled in the program.

Judy Parks, EMPath’s Vice President of Mobility Mentoring Programs and Services, emphasized to the graduates that “EMPath is always here for you.”

“If you need something, if you change direction, if you’re struggling with something, EMPath is here,” she said. “Please take that as a parting gift from all of us.”