Navigating your finances isn’t easy. It can cause headaches and number crunching that leave people feeling like giving up altogether.
Setting up a future of success and less debt requires time and attention. With sometimes a steep learning curve, doing it alone feels daunting. That’s where the Mount Vernon Financial Empowerment Center comes in.
“Financial literacy isn’t just a class,” says Ashley Britton, program manager at the Mount Vernon Financial Empowerment Center. “It’s being able to introduce people to a new way of living, a new way of thinking, and a new way of managing their money.”
The center offers one-on-one, confidential, and professional financial counseling as a free public service that’s available to all Mount Vernon residents regardless of income.
“At the Mount Vernon Financial Empowerment Center, we’re equipping residents with tools to build a brighter financial future,” notes Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard. “This partnership marks a major step in addressing economic disparities and helping families not just get by—but thrive.”
The goal? To inspire a financially literate and economically empowered community in which every individual has the opportunity to realize their financial dreams, create generational wealth, and contribute to a thriving local economy.
“We’re looking across Westchester County to impact and inform people how to build generational wealth,” Britton shares. “It may not be widely spoken about, especially in our communities, but something that is near and dear to my heart is being able to introduce people to another area of money so that we’re no longer afraid. We find people are afraid to ask the big questions.”

Helping the Community
The Mount Vernon Financial Empowerment Center, which launched this program in December 2024, helps those in need reduce debt, improve credit, create budgets, grow savings, plan for home ownership, and connect to safe and affordable financial products. It operates through a partnership between the City of Mount Vernon, Mercy University, and Westchester County — all key community organizations. Together, they are committed to helping community members achieve financial well-being, with the ultimate goal of improving overall quality of life.
“This collaboration between Mercy University and the City of Mount Vernon reflects our shared commitment to building stronger communities by expanding access to financial education and support,” says Susan L. Parish, Ph.D., M.S.W., president of Mercy University. “By combining Mercy’s expertise with the Center’s specialized services, we’re creating a powerful resource to help local families achieve greater financial stability and success.”
Real Assistance for Locals
Located at 130 Mount Vernon Avenue, the Mount Vernon Financial Empowerment Center accepts walk-ins, although most of its clients are referred through one of the partner organizations. There is a three to five minimum session recommendation for new clients, and for good reason. Britton shares the story of a client who has done one session a month for six months and, during that time, ended up paying off their rental arrears. Another client saw Britton three times over just a few weeks to help prepare to buy a home.
“We do as many sessions as the client is open to doing,” says Britton.
Aside from sessions, the center has held 24 workshops based around either age or period of time in life. The workshops cater to everyone from seniors who need help with their retirement plan to those under 18 years old who are being introduced to the world of money for the first time. The latter is something upon which the center specifically focuses.
“We don’t believe in giving [young people] the information when it’s time because when it’s time, it’s too late,” Britton observes. “It’s about giving them the information in advance when they’re young. We want to arm children now with the concepts of money so that they don’t mismanage it later.”
An Exciting Summer
The Mount Vernon Financial Empowerment Center is just getting started. This summer, it’s launching Money Labs, through which it will bring financial concepts right to community events in an effort to meet people where they are. The second focus this summer is partnering with other institutions that value financial literacy in the same way the center does. Additionally, the center has a Spanish-speaking counselor to provide support to more individuals.
“We want to be able to impact everybody that we can across Westchester,” Britton enthuses. “This is a unique, beautiful opportunity to find a proven model that empowers residents and promotes financial stability across the county.”
Next Steps
To learn more about the Mount Vernon Financial Empowerment Center or book an appointment, visit its website.
Related: Financial Services Careers Offer Balance and Growth in Westchester