Saving More Than Money: How Financial Empowerment, Community, and Momentum Changed My Family’s Future

I am originally from Cancun, Mexico, and I am blessed to say that I was one of the fortunate ones who got to see Cancun in its original beauty. I was born and raised there and witnessed my parents build one of the first office businesses in the city. This is also the city where I met my husband and where we became parents. Due to safety concerns, we were forced to leave our home country and immigrate to Canada.

We arrived in Calgary on September 13th, 2009, with two children, and only a month later we found out I was pregnant with our third. These were scary times. Not only were we expecting another baby, but we were also struggling to navigate the immigration system, adapt to the weather, manage transportation, and on top of all that, my husband had to figure out how to make a living in this new country without the infamous “Canadian Experience”

The odds were not in our favour, but my husband made sure we always had a roof over our heads, food on our table, and he handled our immigration case masterfully. None of this came without hardship. Along the way, there were dangerous jobs, nailed and stapled hands, and twelve-hour drives from Calgary to Kelowna for work through winter blizzards.

One of the things that truly uplifted us was being close to our St. Patrick’s Parish community. There, we not only found support but also made lifelong friends. It was there that I got my first job in Canada. After years of volunteering, I was hired by the church as an assistant. Then, my husband told me about Momentum. He mentioned he had heard about a program where “you save and they match your savings.” He said, “We can save for our daughter’s school!” 

My husband and I went together to the information session in its old strip mall space. I was provided with an application form that included a monthly budget. I felt like it took me forever to fill it out, and once I was finished, I was reminded of how much we were struggling financially.

A few weeks after applying, I received an email from the program staff introducing herself and welcoming me with open arms to the Matched Savings for Adults Program. Soon after that, COVID locked us down, and she informed us that we would be exploring how to offer the program online.

COVID was new to all of us, and as we were learning the modules in our Matched Savings Program, we were also learning how to live in a new way. We found support in one another, shared our frustrations and experiences, interacted with people outside of our families, and most of all, learned about MONEY!

Even though I had been in Canada for over ten years, I realized I knew very little about finances. I learned how to use credit to my advantage, the importance of an emergency fund, and how investments work in Canada. I also realized that I could save $50 a month, contrary to what I had believed when I first applied.

One thing I discovered about myself in the Consumerism module is that I can be an impulse buyer, especially when it comes to bathing suits (a terrible investment; they never fit for long!). I used our own savings and my matched savings from Momentum to help pay for our daughter’s university tuition, which was our original savings goal when I started the program. 

Margaret, the Momentum program staff while I was in the program, instilled so much confidence in us. She became an inspiration and helped shape my professional path. 

Three years after graduating, I joined Momentum as a staff member where I work with new Canadians looking to get career track jobs in the trades. At Momentum, we don’t just teach skills; we build a community, a sense of belonging, and help people get the confidence they need to believe in themselves. I’m so grateful I took the time I needed so that I could be ready to help people who are in the same place I once was.

My husband and I did not get to where we are today alone. Along our journey, countless people offered us their guidance, support, and encouragement when we needed it most. Now, at Momentum, I have the incredible privilege of giving back all that I was given, and more by helping others find their strength, hope, and their path forward.

My daughter went on to also graduate from the Matched Savings for Youth Program and used her savings to pay for her school tuition; she now volunteers as a Momentum ambassador. I’m not sure if I would call this a full circle, maybe it’s more like a circle with infinite beginnings and endings, especially when I think of all the participants who have graduated from the skills training programs during my time.

Because our Matched Savings Program was online due to COVID, our graduation was simple: connecting one last time while holding our favorite drink. I often wondered what a “normal” graduation would have looked like. Yet life has a way of returning what we’ve missed, in ways bigger and more meaningful than we could imagine. I didn’t have a traditional graduation, but I’ve since planned and celebrated many. I’ve witnessed life changing moments and felt the power of growth and resilience. I wouldn’t have it any other way. On April 2nd I will have 35 participants graduate, what more could I ask for?

Learn more about our savings programs on our website here. If you or someone you know would like to join a Trades Training program that I help facilitate, inquire today or join an information session.