This month, we spoke with Koreatown Youth and Community Center (KYCC) Community Wealth Program Manager, Lidia Sebastian, to discuss their VITA program and participation in Prosperity Now’s Wells Fargo Emergency Matched Savings Project. You can read our conversation with Lidia below! 

Can you share a little bit about your role with KYCC?  

KYCC is a multi-service community-based organization serving the low-income, immigrant communities of the Koreatown and Pico Union neighborhoods of Los Angeles. I am the Community Wealth Program Manager, overseeing our VITA and Financial Education and Asset Building (FEAB) programs with a team of 10 full-time staff. Each year, we prepare around 3,000 tax returns and about 1,000 individuals participate in at least one additional FEAB program. My role is to ensure that our VITA program prepares high quality tax returns for as many members of our community as possible, while also ensuring that pathways into our FEAB programs are integrated into our VITA process so that families have the tools and knowledge to reach their financial goals. 

Can you talk a little bit about your work with Prosperity Now’s Wells Fargo Emergency Matched Savings Project?  

Working with Prosperity Now’s Wells Fargo Emergency Matched Savings Program, which expands emergency matched savings programs for community-based organizations by providing funds to launch a emergency matched savings program for 100-150 VITA-eligible clients at tax time, has been a wonderful experience. As an organization that directly serves recently immigrated and low-income individuals who were left out of pandemic relief, we believe that the Emergency Matched Savings program can address the needs of our community. We worked closely with Prosperity Now staff to develop a program plan model, develop a process for data collection and capture client stories, and finally we were successful in opening 110 matched savings accounts during the tax season. I am incredibly pleased with the amount of support provided and the flexibility in designing the program to meet the needs of our clients. At this moment, we have 100% of clients reaching and/or on track to meet their savings goal.  

Any wisdom you want to pass along to your TON peers heading into preseason planning?  

My advice is to take one day at a time. We all have been going through a rough three years of uncertainties. Many people have lost family members, work, friends, their home, and many other things. So, let us understand one another because we never know what the other person is going through. Don't be hard on yourself, because the work that you are doing is especially important and touches many people. Not everything has to be perfect but show up with a reason. 

For more information about Koreatown Youth and Community Center, visit their website.