The Building Wealth and Health Network is a trauma-informed, healing-centered financial literacy program, that combines emotional and peer support to promote self-efficacy and resilience in traditionally under-resourced communities. 

The Network was developed in partnership with the Center and Pennsylvania Department of Human Services to address the shortfall between the potential for families to break out of the cycle of deep poverty and public assistance programs intending to promote economic security. Its goal is to shift the discourse and policies surrounding public benefits programs to create equity for all people.

The Network provides healing-centered peer support and financial empowerment education focused on building families' wealth and health. By addressing the associations between trauma and financial health, the Network is uniquely situated to make a tangible difference. 

Human services, especially TANF, have lost sight of human potential and instead put heavy emphasis on work participation rates and compliance. These services are often counterproductive because they spend extensive time making sure participants are compliant with forms and protocol instead of focusing their resources on directly addressing what participants need most: healing, support, solidarity, and financial empowerment. The Network brings the focus back to the individual and collective healing power within the trauma-informed peer support.

What We Do

• Lead Network classes for various organizations through contractual service agreements 
• Prepare organization staff to facilitate the Network program model in their own organization
• Train organization staff on a variety of topics including trauma-informed, healing-centered approaches

Learn More About the Network

• Network Program Overview
• Program Impact and Outcomes
• Research Publications
• Partnerships
• External Trainings and Consulting