The need to reduce reliance on predatory lending services is crucial to avoid financial issues such as debt, high interest rates, and high fees. Financial knowledge and access to financial vehicles to build wealth and well-being are essential to ensure and facilitate economic stability. ​

Familias con Mas works on two areas:

1. Education to build knowledge and skills on fair banking practices, savings, budgeting, credit, debt, overdraft fees, and predatory lenders through workshops and community outreach.
2. Advocacy to address the prevalence of predatory lenders, currently twice the rate in Watsonville than the city of Santa Cruz.

Familias con Mas builds on Mamas con Mas, a 2018 qualitative study conducted by SCCV and UC Santa Cruz to map predatory lenders and gain insight into the banking barriers of Latina moms living in affordable housing.

BACKGROUND
Mamas con Mas, a 2018 qualitative study conducted by SCCV and UC Santa Cruz Blum Center found that Watsonville has three times the predatory lending services, compared to Santa Cruz. 

In California, Latino adults comprise 37% of all payday borrowers but just 25% of payday loan-eligible adults are Latino. In Watsonville, 82% of household identify as Latino, faces 50% unbanked/underbanked households. 

Familias Con Mas is made possible thanks in part to the support of our funders:

​Monterey Peninsula Foundation and Rose Foundation. 

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