While still repaying her student loans, Deidra Williams and her husband, who once struggled financially and lived paycheck to paycheck, committed to setting their children up for a better future by educating themselves about finances and starting college savings early. After learning about a savings program offered through her daughter’s daycare—backed by Hope Credit Union, the City of Jackson, and the Mississippi Community Financial Access Coalition—Williams enrolled her four-year-old daughter, Samyra. He contributed $100 monthly through direct deposit while participating in financial education courses. Thirteen years later, that consistent saving grew into a five-figure fund that, along with scholarships, will help Samyra attend Mississippi Delta Community College to pursue her dream of becoming a pediatric dental hygienist. Williams continues to save for Samyra and has opened accounts for her two younger sons, proud to give her children the financial foundation she didn’t have.
“It makes me proud that my husband and I have been able to do this for our children,” Williams says. “I was the first person in my family to go to college, and I learned about student loans the hard way. I want my children to have a different experience. This program from HOPE and that $100 a month were a good way to start.”