Jefferson County Financial Empowerment Center offers free one‑on‑one counseling, opens services in Fort Atkinson area
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Summary
Heather Nunez told the Fort Atkinson City Council the Jefferson County Financial Empowerment Center, launched publicly in September, provides free one‑on‑one financial counseling countywide with co‑locations in Fort Atkinson, Watertown and Lake Mills; she cited early client outcomes and asked for local referrals and sponsorships.
Heather Nunez, the local government manager for the Jefferson County Financial Empowerment Center, told the Fort Atkinson City Council on Dec. 16 that the county’s new Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) provides free, one‑on‑one professional financial counseling to anyone who lives or works in Jefferson County.
The program, Nunez said, launched publicly in September after the county secured an implementation grant. Counselors are employees of the Community Action Coalition of South Central Wisconsin and are trained to provide individualized counseling — not general financial‑literacy classes — covering budgeting, debt reduction, credit building, savings, and legacy planning. "It's a very professional service," Nunez said.
Nunez said the FEC uses a standardized data model to track outcomes and referrals and to identify service gaps. She cited early results from Jefferson County clients: about 50 clients served since September, roughly $38,000 of non‑mortgage debt reduced, nearly $30,000 in increased savings, and examples of credit score increases (four clients up by 35 points or more). On average national FEC data, she said, show about $1,400 in increased savings and $2,400 in debt reduction per client.
To reach rural residents, the county staffs multiple co‑locations, Nunez said: Madison College's Fort Atkinson campus, the workforce development center in Watertown, and the Rock Lake Activity Center in Lake Mills, plus virtual appointments. The program also offers English and Spanish counselors and access to translators. Nunez described a referral network of about 60 partners, including social‑service agencies, schools and financial institutions, and said the FEC is available to residents of border communities such as Watertown.
Nunez asked council members and staff to help spread the word and to consider sponsorship or referral partnerships. She said the center requires a client service agreement and a soft credit‑pull authorization for verification; initial appointment lengths are roughly 90–120 minutes for the first session and shorter follow‑ups thereafter.
The presentation closed after council members asked about counselor backgrounds and client counts; Nunez said counselors are CAC employees who completed a multimonth training regimen and confirmed the county had about 50 clients so far. The county did not set eligibility income limits, she said: "You can have no money — you cannot be a millionaire, and we're happy to help you with what your financial goals are."
