Your financial future starts today
HANDS helps families take ownership of their financial futures by offering workshops that teach fundamental skills such as saving, budgeting, and investing for the future.
Wealth Building Academy
HANDS is proud to launch our new Wealth Building Academy for economic education and connection in 2025! See below for upcoming workshops.
Date: November 10, 2025
Time: 6-7 pm
Location (Hybrid): 15 S Essex Ave. Rear Orange, NJ 07050
Zoom link available upon registration.
November 10th: Entrepreneurship Basics with Columbia Bank
Whether it’s taking on a side hustle to earn additional income, working on your own terms, or turning your passion into your full-time role, you may have considered becoming an entrepreneur at some point. If you’re thinking about making the leap but don’t know where to start, this workshop is for you. Experts from Columbia Bank will walk you through the process of choosing a business type, creating a business plan, and opening a business account. The class will take place both on Zoom and at the HANDS office on 15 S Essex Ave. (past the green gate). Refreshments will be served.
Date: December 9, 2025
Time: 6-7 pm
Location (Hybrid): 15 S Essex Ave. Rear Orange, NJ 07050
Zoom link available upon registration.
December 9th: Homebuying 101 with Citizens
If you’ve always imagined yourself achieving the American Dream of having a stable and healthy home to raise your family in, you won’t want to miss this workshop. Whether you’re a first-time buyer or looking into purchasing your next home, our mortgage lenders will walk you through the process of accessing down-payment assistance programs, securing a mortgage, and all of the steps leading up to signing the contract on your dream home. The hybrid class will be held on Zoom and at the HANDS office on 15 S Essex Ave. (past the green gate). Refreshments will be served.
Date: October 16, 2025
Time: 6-7 pm
Location: Virtual (register for Zoom link)
Past Workshops
October 16th: Debt Management with Santander Bank
From buying a home to sending your children to college, your dreams deserve a solid foundation. However, if debt is weighing you down, or topics such as loan consolidation seem complicated to you, then this is the perfect workshop to get you started on your path to financial freedom. This class, taught by experts at Santander, will break down ways to minimize your debt burden so you can take control of your finances and leave prepared to pursue your biggest financial goals. A Zoom link will be provided.
Date: June 24, 2025
Time: 6-7 pm
Location: 15 S Essex Ave. Orange, NJ 07050
Past Workshops
June 24th: Community Business Academy Info Session
Ready to level up your business? Rising Tide Capital’s 12-Week Community Business Academy gives you the tools to succeed. From mastering bookkeeping to crafting smart marketing strategies, you’ll gain practical skills needed to thrive in today’s competitive market.
Join our free info session to get all your questions answered and see how this program can help you build a stronger business. Visit risingtidecapital.org for more information.
Date: May 20, 2025
Time: 6 pm
Location: Zoom
May 20th: Credit Confidence with Citizens Bank
Whether you're proud of your credit score and want to take it even higher, or you're hoping to boost it a few points, this workshop is for you. HANDS is teaming up with Citizens to break down what really goes into your credit score—and how you can take control of it. You’ll leave with a solid understanding of credit report components and practical tips to improve your score. Plus, we’ll provide a simple, easy-to-use worksheet to help you assess where you are financially and set clear, achievable goals for moving forward.
Date: May 6, 2025
Time: 6 pm
Location: Zoom
May 6th: Retirement Planning with Columbia Bank
It’s never too early or late to start planning for retirement! HANDS and Columbia Bank are offering a free webinar on retirement planning so you can retire with stability and peace of mind. This workshop will cover important topics such as saving strategies, tax-efficient withdrawals, and maximizing Social Security. Have all your retirement questions answered by leading experts, in the comfort of your home. For more information, email mously@handsinc.org.
Date: Saturday April 19th, 2025
Time: 9 am - 5 pm
Location: Zoom
April 19th: HANDS/ECLT Homebuyer Certification Workshop
HANDS is partnering with Essex Community Land Trust to offer a day-long homebuyer certification training for Orange residents. Attendees will become HUD-certified, making them eligible for various down payment assistance programs. The workshop will take place on Zoom. Reach out to Mously Lo at mously@handsinc.org for more information.
Kickstarting Financial Habits
November 19th, 2024
Virtual on Zoom
6:00 pm ET
This workshop offers a comprehensive lesson on building important financial habits. Valley Bank’s Jerry Flach will be hosting the workshop, highlighting topics such as budgeting, building a good credit score, and navigating the banking system. This course is suitable for individuals who are unfamiliar with the banking system, including immigrants, as well as adults interested in sharpening their personal finance skills.
Wealth Building Insider Tips
December 3rd, 2024
Virtual on Zoom
6:00 pm ET
This webinar is jam-packed with information regarding building wealth, repairing your credit, and navigating foreclosure. Join Veronica from Skylo Group to learn insider tips on using FHA loans to grow wealth as well as insights on preventing and bouncing back from difficult financial situations. If you’re interested in entering the real estate market or going beyond the basics of financial literacy, this course is for you.
The Path to Homeownership
December 17th, 2024
Virtual on Zoom
6:00 pm ET
If you’re thinking about buying a home, this workshop led by M&T bankers Benjamin Codjoe and Roodler Cazeau will teach you everything you need to know about entering the housing market. The workshop will dispel common myths, educate individuals on the homebuying process, and give tips on how to save up for your dream home in this challenging environment. Attendees will walk away with the confidence and knowledge needed to buy their biggest asset.
Manage Your Money Workshops
Sample Workshop Topics
Spending & Budgeting
Introduction to Financial
Literacy
Building & Repairing Credit
Beginner Investing
Purchasing a Home
Fraud Prevention
Identity Theft Awareness
Financial Goal Setting
Saving for College
Wealth Building
To provide Orange families with learning opportunities to increase their financial capabilities and improve household financial well-being, stability, and ability to accumulate wealth, HANDS delivers free financial capabilities workshops to Orange Public Schools’ Parent University Program and the broader Orange community.
Orange Public Schools’ Parent University Program helps generate neighborhood interest and provides a funnel to target both youth and parents who benefit most from financial topics such as spending and budgeting or saving for college.
The workshops are administered by a variety of experts from leading organizations and financial institutions, such as Citizens, Essex Community Land Trust, and Provident Bank.
Following the series of workshops, we are connecting motivated participants with one-on-one coaching to implement action plans to meet their personal financial goals.
Increasing the financial strength of residents is part of the way we are working to empower residents to take control of their financial future and break the cycle of multi-generational poverty.
Check out our past workshops!
Manage Your Money: Teen Edition
December 8, 2022