Press Release: Financial Empowerment Center Marks Six Months of Supporting Jefferson County Residents
JEFFERSON, Wis. – The Jefferson County Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) is celebrating a busy and successful first six months of service in helping residents improve their financial wellness. The FEC is a free public service that provides one-on-one financial counseling to adults 18 years or older who live, work, or attend school in Jefferson County. In addition to phone and virtual appointments, offices are located in Watertown, Jefferson, Lake Mills, and Fort Atkinson. This service opened to the public on September 9th, 2025.
Trained FEC counselors work with clients on a wide variety of financial goals including budgeting, increasing savings, building credit, managing debt, connecting to safe and affordable banking, financial goal-setting, and legacy planning.
“We have been excited to assist our clients in setting and achieving financial goals that will provide an increased quality of life for them and their families,” said Heather Nunez, Local Government Manager for the Jefferson County Financial Empowerment Center. “It has been rewarding to watch our numbers grow due to the hard work of our clients and counselors.” In just over six months, the FEC has helped 52 clients across the county. Over the span of their cumulative 140 sessions, these clients have reduced non-mortgage debt by over $139,000, increased savings by over $69,000, and closed nine delinquent accounts. Eight clients have seen at least a 35 point credit score increase, with many more approaching that benchmark.
“Talking about money can feel vulnerable, but by the end of the first session, many clients express a sense of relief, knowing they have entered a safe, nonjudgmental space where they can work toward their financial goals,” said Rhiannon Tonies, Program Manager for the Jefferson County Financial Empowerment Center. “Those who see the greatest success are clients who attend sessions consistently—having a trusted counselor is a powerful tool in building financial confidence and stability.”
FEC counseling services are free to anyone 18 years or older, courtesy of a partnership between Jefferson County Human Services and Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin, with generous support from:
● Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) Fund
● Fort Atkinson Community Foundation
● Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation
● Jefferson Community Foundation
● St. Vincent de Paul of Lake Mills
● Summit Credit Union
● Rock Lake Activity Center
● Madison College
● Lake Mills Area Community Foundation
● Bank of Lake Mills
For additional information or to schedule a counseling session, visit jeffersoncountywi.gov/fec or www.cacscw.org/financial-empowerment-programs/financial-empowerment-center/, email hnunez@jeffersoncountywi.gov or rhiannont@cacscw.org, or call 920-674-8791.
