In this month’s Participant Spotlight, we would like to introduce you to Camille. She is the Founder and Director of Prepared Place Ministries, a Working Credit partner. Prepared Place Ministries, based out of North Philadelphia, is a faith-based nonprofit organization that “trains and inspires people both inside and outside of prison, to support the restoration of women affected by incarceration. Their program services make it possible for women to obtain work, housing, and financial literacy, to rebuild their families, and to participate fully in civic life.”
Camille learned about Working Credit while attending a conference in Washington, D.C., where she happened to be sitting at a table with our very own Susan Simon (Working Credit’s Co-Founder and Director of Strategic Partnerships). “I really wasn’t looking for a program for myself; I was really trying to obtain information for the participants that I serve.” When she returned home to Philadelphia, it was decided that she would try the Working Credit program out first to see how it works. If she felt the program was a success, her organization would then refer their participants to Working Credit for one-on-one credit building counseling.
During her initial Working Credit counseling session, Camille had a clear vision of her overarching goals, “I want to save more, and I want to be in the “800 Club,” she beamed. The “800 Club” refers to individuals in the United States with a credit score of 800 or higher. Having a score in this range is considered exceptional by the FICO credit scoring system and can lead to benefits such as lower interest rates, better credit card terms, and an increased likelihood of approval for various credit products and lending services. According to MyFICO.com, almost 20% of consumer credit scores exceed 800, and approximately 1/5 of American adults are part of the 800 Club.
“There was never a “money talk” in my household as I was growing up, I just watched the frugalness and picked it up,” Camille remembered. When Camille came to Working Credit, she had been getting bonus checks every pay period and putting them in a box to save. “One of the most significant things I learned from Working Credit was to get those checks in a high-yield savings account so my money can make money!”
In June 2024, Camille’s credit score hit 835! A whopping growth of 126 points from the credit she had when she first started the program! Her steadfastness, diligence, and amazing guidance from her Working Credit counselor, Claudia, led her to reach her goal and join the 800 Club. Camille made on-time payments and kept her utilization ratio low by paying off balances in full almost every month. She also protected her credit by freezing her credit report to prevent identity theft and fraud. “My Working Credit counselor, Claudia, has been very diligent. She’s great with follow-up, and she makes sure that she gives me the specific information that I want and need. Claudia is great!” she commended.
When asked about her newest goal, Camille had this to say, “I think saving is an ongoing goal; I just want it to grow, and grow, and grow…maybe become a millionaire, she laughed.
We believe in your dreams, Camille, and support you every step of the way!
