The COVID-19 pandemic has left millions of Americans out of work and laid bare the fragile financial situation of an estimated 78% of U.S. workers who were already living paycheck to paycheck.

FAIRWINDS Credit Union has built its more than 70-year reputation on an altruistic approach to helping members achieve financial freedom. July 1 is national Financial Freedom Day, and this year, FAIRWINDS marked the occasion with practical advice to help people get back on their feet and build toward the financial security to prepare for the next time the unexpected happens.

 1. Build an emergency savings fund to prepare for the unexpected, like car repairs or medical emergencies. Setting aside $2.74 per day can save $1,000 in a year.

 2. Work toward saving three to six months' worth of expenses to replace lost income from a future layoff or extended illness without having to rely on credit cards or dipping into retirement funds. Open a designated savings account for the emergency savings and 3-6 month expense funds, so you’re not tempted by seeing that extra money sitting in your checking account.

 3. Track spending with a budgeting app that lets you categorize transactions, see where your money’s going, and make adjustments; all from your phone or tablet.

 4. Use the snowball method to gain momentum on paying off debts by applying extra money each month toward your smallest debt first, while making only the minimum monthly payments on all your other debts.

 5. Chose a shorter-term auto loan like 36 or 48 months. Once your loan is paid off, keep your car and start putting the same loan payment amount into your savings account. That way, you can save to buy your next car with cash or make a sizeable down payment.

 6. Participate in your company's 401(k) or 403(b) retirement match program to avoid leaving "free money" on the table.

 7. Pay off your home or auto loan faster by making biweekly payments. Dividing your monthly payment in half and paying that amount every other week will result in an extra full payment toward principal each year.

 8. If you’re passionate about helping your community and those in need, donating your time and talents is just as impactful as donating money. In fact, the value of a volunteer hour is $25.43.

 9. Life is a journey, and financial freedom is no different. You need a goal to guide you, and a savings plan to help you stay the course and be ready for detours that come along the way.

Founded in 1949, FAIRWINDS is a nationwide members-only, member-owned, not-for-profit financial institution. Its mission is to help members achieve financial freedom by providing tools, products, and advice to encourage them to save more, eliminate debt, build wealth, and live generously. Membership which includes access to consumer checking, deposits, and low-rate, short-term auto loans. For more information, visit www.fairwinds.org.

Mention the holidays and most of us are immediately transported to a favorite family tradition: preparing time-honored recipes, baking cookies, decorating our homes and spending time with family and friends. Increasingly, Dallas - Fort Worth area families are creating a new tradition of giving back to their community during the holidays, particularly through service opportunities in which the entire family can participate.

This year, Feed My Starving Children (FMSC), a Christian non-profit that tackles world hunger by sending volunteer-packed, nutritious meals to 70 countries, invites families to start or continue a holiday tradition of service by volunteering at the Hope Filled Holiday event Sunday, December 2 and Monday December 3 at the Irving Convention Center.

This MobilePack event will give individuals and families the opportunity to join more than 4,000 volunteers to pack 750,000 meals over the course of the two days. Each two-hour volunteer shift includes an orientation, time spent packing meals in an assembly-line fashion and the opportunity to learn more about hunger in our world and how FMSC works to alleviate it. Families will learn more about the problem of hunger around the world and feel good about the positive impact they have made through packing nutritious meals.

Volunteering at the Hope Filled Holiday event can truly be a multi-generational endeavor. Kids as young as five can pack meals if accompanied by an adult. There are seated jobs available for those who cannot stand for a two-hour packing session. Volunteers need to register at http://fmsc.org/txholiday

WHAT:

• Hope Filled Holiday MobilePack, an FMSC food-packing event, to be held at Irving Convention Center, 500 West Las Colinas, Irving Tx
• An estimated 750,000 meals will be hand-packed for hungry children around the world
• That’s enough to feed approximately 2,055 children for a year

WHEN:

• Sunday, Dec.2- Monday, Dec. 3; various shift times (see link for details)

WHERE:

• Irving Convention Center –500 West  Las Colinas Boulevard, Irving Tx 75039
   

WHO:

• Hunger-relief organization Feed My Starving Children
• 4,000 volunteers will pack 750,000 meals with their own two hands in just two days

Dunkin’ Donuts Celebrates National Coffee Day

With Buy One, Get One Offer

Saturday, September 29 is National Coffee Day, and at Dunkin’ Donuts, they want you to share the coffee love--Buy one medium or larger hot coffee, and you can get a free hot coffee the same size or smaller. Bring a friend! Offer good at DFW locations, including in Plano, Dallas, McKinney, Frisco, Rockwall, Southlake, Colleyville, Murphy, Hurst, Flower Mound, Cedar Hill, Arlington, Euless and more!

Christian nonprofit Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) opened a permanent meal packing facility in Richardson, Texas on July 1. The site will have the capacity to welcome more than 150,000 volunteers each year to hand-pack nourishing FMSC MannaPack™ meals.  FMSC has partnered with the local DFW community for years through its MobilePack™ events. Now the meaningful volunteer experience will be available year-round for volunteers to support FMSC’s mission of feeding God’s starving children hungry in body and spirit. Individuals,  Families,  groups  and companies can sign up to volunteer for a packing session, which take place Wednesday- Saturday each week .   Volunteers will help the site produce 50 million meals each year, to be distributed to children around the  world.  

DFW community members are encouraged to sign up for future packing events at  fmsc.org/richardson.  The site is located at 1680 N Glenville Dr., Suite 300 in Richardson, Texas. FMSC is also looking for additional talented staff to support its new site. Learn more about career opportunities at fmsc.org/jobs.

Feed My Starving Children is a Christian nonprofit dedicated to providing nutritious meals to children worldwide. FMSC meals are hand-packed by volunteers and sent to an incredible network of partner organizations who distribute them to those in need. Nearly 1.2 million volunteers packed more than 333 million FMSC meals in 2016. More than 90 percent of total donations go directly to feed kids. More at fmsc.org. 

About FMSC MobilePack events

Volunteers just like you join hands with neighbors across the U.S. to pack and fund lifesaving FMSC MannaPack meals through FMSC MobilePack events. Churches, businesses, community groups and schools host these food packing events and make a real difference in the fight against world hunger.

 All active military and veterans who present a military or veteran ID will receive a free donut at participating Dunkin' Donuts locations throughout the Dallas / Fort Worth area on Veteran's Day, Saturday, Nov. 11. This  offer  is  good  all day long, and no purchase is required.