HOLYOKE — The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Western Massachusetts’ annual meeting will be held virtually on Sunday, Jan. 21, at 1 p.m.
The guest speaker will be Bruce Bradley-Gilbert, who will speak on why it is important to break the stigma surrounding mental health and dual diagnosis as well as what services are in the community to help those in need. This event is open to the public.
Absentee ballots will be mailed only to NAMI members who are eligible to vote. The ballots must be received in NAMI’s office (1221 Main St., Suite 100, Holyoke) by Friday, Jan. 19, To register, visit namiwm.org/events and click on the registration link or go directly to Eventbrite.com and search for NAMI Western Mass. Members can also email their ballots to votenamiwm@namiwm.org.
A Zoom link will be provided to those who are registered. For more information, contact NAMI at 413-786-9139 or information@namiwm.org.
HADLEY — For more than a decade, the UMassFive College Federal Credit Union has offered free financial wellness workshops, allowing community members to gain insight into specific financial topics ranging from paying down debt to buying a home. The following webinars will be offered during the first four months of 2024:
Paying Down Debt: This session will provide useful tips on paying down debt faster while avoiding late fees and keeping a budget on track. Participants will also receive resources related to student loan repayment.
Reaching Your Financial Goals in 2024: Join UMassFive’s partners at GreenPath for a webinar to learn how to set and reach financial goals in 2024.
Understanding Credit: Participants will learn what is included in a credit report, how credit scores are calculated, what they are used for and how to have a positive impact on a credit score.
Understand Your Money Personality: UMassFive’s partners at GreenPath will teach participants how their “money personality,” and the money personalities of those they share financial decisions and responsibilities with, may impact their ability to reach their goals.
Budgeting 101: Attend this session to get tips on how to simplify the budgeting process. Participants will learn how to analyze where their money is going now, how they can make changes to that, and how to make sure that they are spending and saving money strategically.
Homebuying 101: This workshop, sponsored by Member Advantage Mortgage, takes a step-by-step approach to buying a home. It includes locating and working with a real estate agent, understanding financing options, tips on searching for a home, the value of inspections and how to make an offer.
UMassFive’s licensed financial advisors will also present the following talks:
Understanding Social Security: This seminar covers the basics of Social Security and reveals strategies that may help attendees maximize their benefits.
Saving for Retirement: IRA Need-to-Knows: Learn how to plan for a financially successful retirement.
Retirement Plan Rollover Options: This seminar presents an opportunity to consider what to do with a 401K plan from a previous employer.
Webinars on specific financial wellness topics are typically offered multiple times per year, to allow multiple opportunities for community members to attend. To view all of UMassFive’s financial wellness webinar offerings, along with the dates and times, and to register to attend, visit umassfive.coop/resources/workshops.