Financial Empowerment & Literacy Program
Financial Empowerment & Literacy Program
Financial Empowerment & Literacy Program
Empower Women to Act
The Riverdale Immigrant Women’s Centre (RIWC) offers a free Financial Empowerment and Literacy Program designed to support low- to moderate-income individuals, with a particular focus on newcomer, racialized, and immigrant women in Toronto.
Through our Empower Women to Act program, participants receive practical, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed financial support that helps reduce financial stress, increase access to income and benefits, and build confidence in managing money and planning for the future. Services are delivered in-person and online through workshops and one-on-one sessions by a multilingual team (Farsi, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, Sinhalese, Mandarin, Cantonese) and are tailored to the lived realities of women facing systemic barriers to economic security.
What the Program Offers
Help Accessing Benefits
Many income supports require complex applications beyond filing taxes. Our team provides hands-on support to help participants:
- Identify benefits they may be eligible for but not receiving
- Apply for programs such as Ontario Works, ODSP, childcare subsidies, housing supports, and emergency assistance
- Gather required documents and navigate follow-ups, reviews, or benefit disruptions
This support helps increase household income and reduces financial precarity for people living on low or moderate incomes
One-on-One Financial Coaching & Counselling
Participants can access personalized financial coaching focused on their individual goals and circumstances. Sessions may include:
- Budgeting and cash-flow planning
- Debt management and credit review
- Savings and goal-setting
- Support addressing financial stress or financial abuse
Coaching is client-centered and responsive, helping participants build skills, confidence, and long-term financial stability.
Financial Literacy & Digital Skills Workshops
We offer regular group workshops designed specifically for people living on low and moderate incomes. Topics include:
- Budgeting and money management
- Banking, credit, and debt
- Fraud prevention and financial safety
- Using digital tools such as online banking and budgeting apps
Workshops are delivered in accessible language and formats and often serve as a bridge to one-on-one coaching or additional supports.
Peer Support & Wrap-Around Services
Participants also benefit from peer support spaces and referrals to other RIWC programs, including employment services, housing support, violence-against-women counselling, and digital literacy training—ensuring a holistic approach to financial empowerment.
Who This Program Is For
- Low- to moderate-income individuals and families
- Newcomer, immigrant, refugee, and racialized women
- Women experiencing financial stress, instability, or economic abuse
All services are free of charge to eligible participants.
How to Get Started
To join the program, complete our Financial Empowerment intake survey using the link or QR code below. A member of our team will contact you to discuss next steps and connect you to the supports that best meet your needs.
Contact: connect@riwc.ca
Address: 1326 Gerrard St E, Toronto, ON M4L 1Z1
Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
