CASH: Tax Preparation and Financial Advisement
CASH (Creating Assets, Savings, and Hope): Partnering with Empire Justice and the United Way, RWC SIFE is in its 7th year of providing free tax return preparation for low-income families and helping them qualify for the earned income credit. RWC SIFE members are also trained to provide financial counseling in budgeting, credit management, debt reduction, and other basic financial skills.Read More >>
In 2007, RWC SIFE began investigating franchises for two local would-be entrepreneurs. We researched a variety of opportunities including tanning, youth education, real estate, and industrial cleaning. We checked websites, read news articles, called franchise headquarters and talked to individual franchise owners. Read More >>
As high school graduation rates decline and criminal activity remains high, Rochester needs a generation of young people passionately committed to business and service. Women of Roberts Wesleyan College (RWC) believe they have the responsibility to cast a vision of hope and excellence. Therefore, RWC SIFE seeks to impact the lives of fifteen female students from Global Media Arts High School and a school in the Hispanic community. Read More >>
Financial Freedom Workshops
RWC SIFE designed an interactive workshop/seminar to teach financial literacy to college students. The financial workshop is intended for those who have a limited understanding of personal financial issues: saving money, spending wisely, investing, insuring, etc. Given the current state of financial irresponsibility in the United States on so many levels, from personal to organizational to governmental, preventive understanding of financial pitfalls is increasingly important. Read More >>
Since 2005 The Global Marketplace project continues to expand the horizons of young students. The intent is to open young students’ minds to the world and to give them multicultural connections. Living in an increasingly interconnected world, RWC SIFE feels that young people need to be exposed to more of the world than their own backyards. The Global Marketplace intends to broaden their appreciation of other cultures and the economics of global business. Read More >>
Better World Books
In the 08-09 school year, RWC SIFE partnered with Better World Books to help fund literacy initiatives as well as save books from landfills. The RWC SIFE team raised over $4,000 through our book drive; half of which went to Northern Uganda’s Invisible Children to combat illiteracy. Our partner, Better World Books, is a for-profit social enterprise that re-sells old books to fund literacy. Their reach is world-wide and their environmental stewardship is outstanding. To learn more about Better World Books or to learn how to start your own book drive through the company, visit them at: http://www.betterworldbooks.com/
This is RWC SIFE’s newest project. RWC SIFE has adopted Rochester’s 14621 zip-code. This area is in the top 10 zip-codes in the nation for child poverty, and it has the highest number of refugees in the Rochester area. The area also has the highest crime rate in Rochester and the lowest median income. Although this is the project’s first year, the team plans to employ their skills and knowledge in the hopes of making a difference in this community in the years to come. In September 2010, RWC SIFE took Roberts students on a walking tour of the area to help them get a better sense of the needs of the community and to inspire them “for the long haul.” Read More >>
In an effort to educate teens on the ethical issues contributing to the current recession and instill ethical principles in the next generation, RWC SIFE hosts at-risk teens on campus for this ethics competition. The teens form teams to evaluate RWC SIFE-written international case studies in ethical issues and present their findings and solutions. Read More >>
India
In June of 2011, RWC SIFE visited the village Theethipalayam, in the southern part of India near the city of Coimbatoire. Our mission: to help Michelle Pandian, an RWC SIFE Alum, and her husband John, a successful businessman (owners and operator's of the Miracle Garden Orphanage) create a social business that helps to sustain their ministry and provides jobs and income to their community. Our first trip to India was completed by a team of 10 students and 2 faculty. We are looking to return in June of 2012, where we will be working with the orphanage, a tailoring school, and various other businesses and schools in this area of India.