The Community Savings Center, a collaboration of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Park National Bank and Bethel New Life, will help people in such situations achieve greater economic independence and eliminate the gamble from their lives. the Center offers:

* Friendly, caring professionals who will help people learn to manage their money and build financial assets to provide long-term security for themselves and their families.
* Affordable banking products and services such as checking and savings accounts.
* Below-market check cashing and money orders.
* Financial education and one-on-one counseling.
* Free Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) tax preparation services.
* Referrals to local resources that support financial well-being.
* Individual development accounts (IDA) that allow qualified people, once they have completed financial education classes, to have their savings matched threefold. Those savings can be used toward the purchase of a home, small business or post-secondary education. (Thrivent Financial's grant of $1 million toward this program has been matched by the federal government.)