Donna Patrick saw a flyer for the Rainy Day Savings Account matched savings program on the bulletin board at school. Yet it was a year before she got up the nerve to talk to New Ventures Maine and apply for an account. Donna says, “I was afraid there would be strings attached and hoops to jump through.”

Once connected, she found the program easy to use. “New Ventures Maine helped me save a small amount of money each month and matched it dollar for dollar.” Rainy Day Savings proved to be an accurate description when Donna’s roof leaked. “When it started raining inside my house, my matched savings helped replace the roof. It kept me warm and dry.”

In the fall of 2015 Donna learned about a job posting with Midcoast CA$H Coalition. She was hired part-time to connect people at tax sites with resources to improve financial stability. “What better way to pay it forward than to help others like New Ventures helped me,” Donna says. This tax season will be Donna’s fourth year helping others at Midcoast CA$H tax sites.