Sixty percent of the families we serve are one $400 emergency away from debt. Think about that.
More than half of our neighbors are living on the edge, where a flat tire or a sick child could derail everything.
This is the invisible weight of financial insecurity: not just lacking money, but lacking breathing room. Lacking options.
A stable financial foundation changes that story.
At The Savings Collaborative, we create multiple pathways forward: an easy-to-use multilingual mobile app that connects members to our savings club, rewarding small savings steps and growing funds over time; no-fee emergency loans when life happens; personalized financial coaching to build credit, increase savings, improve budgets and plan their legacy, a debt management program to lower or pay off what is owed, and financial education that lasts.
Each is a doorway. Each is a first step toward breathing easier, planning ahead, and building financial resilience and generational wealth.
The Savings Collaborative builds financial resilience and generational wealth, little by little.
Our story began more than ten years ago when George Stranahan, a lifelong teacher and philanthropist, met often with Barbara Freeman, our founder and CEO. Together, they asked one big question: How can we help more families overcome financial barriers and build a better future?
In 2018, they learned that 60% of Latino families did not have even a small emergency savings. They decided to take action. Working side by side with the community, our team designed a simple way for people to save and build financial confidence. From that effort, LaMedichi was born.
That idea grew into what is now The Savings Collaborative, a statewide community of more than 3,000 members. Over 90% come from immigrant and BIPOC families across Colorado. Together, they have saved nearly $6.25 million, one small deposit at a time. It proves that with trust, support, and consistency, real change is possible.
Today we are carrying that mission even further as the financial counseling service provider for the Financial Empowerment Center of the Rockies, the first rural and regional financial office in the nation. Through this new center, we offer free, professional, one-on-one financial counseling to all residents of Garfield, Eagle, and Pitkin counties.
Through our financial coaching services available across the state, we continue helping families take control of their money, build generational wealth, and find the peace of mind every family deserves.
Organization name
Savings Collaborative
other names
LaMedichi
2020
Tax id (EIN)
85-4176243
Category
Education, Mutual & Membership Benefit
Organization Size
Large Organization
Address
959 CEDAR CRKGarfield County, CO, US
Pitkin County, CO, US
Eagle County, CO, US
Boulder County, CO, US
Denver, CO, US