For the last twenty years, we’ve been privileged to have the support of many generous community partners and donors. We are very excited to announce the beginning of our newest relationship with the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation. Together with M&T Bank as anchor funders, they will help us continue supporting the thousands of families visiting us at La Ventanilla inside the New York City Mexican Consulate.
La Ventanilla, “The Financial Education Window,” has served the Mexican community and other Spanish speakers living in New York City since 2014. Our professional financial counselors provide free and confidential advice for families, covering everything from debt management to rainy-day savings and accessing tax credits.
“Ariva offers the personal, direct type of support families need. Many immigrant families may not know about the city’s various free services or how to access them. Through La Ventanilla, Ariva helps folks start new lives in New York City and take the first steps in their financial journey in the United States,” says Jason Chang, Program Officer at the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation.
The mission of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is to “build a brighter future for millions of New Yorkers by advancing the health and well-being of all across the State.” As one of the largest foundations in the United States, they focus exclusively on healthcare outcomes and determinants of healthy communities.
“It makes sense for us to partner with Ariva because we want to assist low- and moderate-income communities that are facing difficult times, consistent with the namesake figure of our foundation,” says Jason.
Thanks to the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, we will expand our services at La Ventanilla to support immigrant entrepreneurs in accessing small business workshops and education, as well as entrepreneurship coaching sessions.
“The support of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation allows La Ventanilla to improve the financial inclusion of hard-working immigrant communities in New York City. We are grateful for their support, as we know the impact financial outcomes have on the overall well-being of our community members,” says Adelaida Morin, Senior Program Manager.
Jason knows firsthand that financial health directly impacts physical and mental health well-being. Having spent the first part of his career working in nonprofits and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) like our partners at Spring Bank, he witnessed the power of financial literacy as the first step in asset-building.
“Wealth-building starts with financial literacy,” explains Jason. “Obtaining an ITIN, for example, is a great way for many migrant and immigrant families to set down their roots in the United States. Ariva offers the knowledge transfer, trust, and security people need to take that first step.”
We are grateful to the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation for their partnership and look forward to supporting the work of La Ventanilla together. Read about the history, impact, and vision of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation. Learn more about our work at La Ventanilla and our continued relationship with M&T Bank.
Please visit us at La Ventanilla on the third floor of the Mexican Consulate in New York City: 27 East 39th Street, New York, NY 10016. There is no cost, and you do not need to make an appointment. However, if you need help obtaining your ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number), fill out this brief inquiry form, and someone from our team will reach out to set up an appointment for free financial help. You can also learn about our free financial counseling NYC and where we offer tax preparation Bronx, NY.