Held on October 22, 2020, the Bank On Arkansas+ Family Resilience Summit was a virtual summit designed to discuss the economic impacts of COVID-19 on families, small businesses, and communities. Attendees heard from national and local panelists and speakers who shared emerging lessons, tools, and resources to help support Arkansans as they navigate their own financial health and wellbeing during an unprecedented time.

AGENDA

10:00 AM Welcome:  Kara Wilkins, Director, Bank On Arkansas+
10:05 AM Opening Remarks:  John Rutledge, President, First Security Bank
10:15 AM Panel Discussion: Building Household Economic Resiliency as a Result of COVID-19

How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the financial health of people in America? This panel session will focus on the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable families and household balance sheets. A national assessment of the state of family wealth will set the stage for the discussion towards recovery and rebuilding of family and household financial stability after a pandemic or disaster.

Ray Boshara, Director at the Center for Household Financial Stability, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis,
Dr. Karama Neal, President, Southern Bancorp Community Partners,
Kathy WebbExecutive Director, Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance
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11:10 AM PANEL Discussion: ALICE in Arkansas

Our expert panel will present data from the Arkansas United for ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) report and focus on ways to proactively support policies that help ALICE households thrive and succeed, such as Asset Limit Reform, adoption of a statewide Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and Universal Basic/Guaranteed Income (UBI).

Rev. Shantell Hinton Hill, Equity Officer, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation,
Laura Kellams, Northwest Arkansas Director, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families,
Calandra Davis, Policy Analyst, Hope Policy Institute
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12:10 PM Featured Interview: FinX, Fintech, and Keeping Families Financially Healthy

Jennifer Tescher, President and CEO, Financial Health Network,
Darrin Williams, CEO, Southern Bancorp
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1:00 PM Access to Capital Feature Release

Anna Beth Gorman, Executive Director, Women’s Foundation of Arkansas,
Cory Anderson, Chief Innovation Officer, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation,
Lorrie Trogden, President and CEO, Arkansas Bankers Association
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The feature can be read HERE.

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RESOURCES

Financial Institutions

American Bankers Association Urges America’s Banks to Offer Bank On-Certified Accounts
How America Banks: Household Use of Banking and Financial Services
Arkansas AFN Access to Capital Report:  Capital. What Women Really Want

COIVD

The COVID-19 Community Vulnerability Index (CCVI)
Which Families Are Most Vulnerable to an Income Shock such as COVID-19?
8 Million Have Slipped Into Poverty Since May as Federal Aid Has Dried Up

Savings

Arkansas Savings Coalition
Building Emergency Savings Through Employer-Sponsored Rainy-Day Savings Accounts
Aspen Institute Emergency Savings Resource Page

Policy Briefs

Tax Time Savings: Opportunities and Strategies for Policy and Practice
Food Insecurity in Arkansas: Strengthening the Safety Net When We Need It Most

Funding Opportunities

Stand Up for ALICE Grant
Delta Owned

General

Deferred Dreams: How Unmanageable Debt and Abusive Debt Collection Hinder Savings and Economic Security in Arkansas
U.S. Financial Health Pulse 2020 Trends Report
ALICE in Arkansas: A Financial Hardship Study
One Family Restaurant, Two Stories of COVID-19’s Financial Risks
“Parasite,” COVID-19, and U.S. Wealth Inequality
Five Big Ideas to Narrow the Racial Wealth Gap

 


This event was made possible by support from our financial institution partners at Southern Bancorp, Arvest, First Security Bank, and IBERIABank. Program support is provided by Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund, Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation, and the Heart of Arkansas United Way.