CITY LIFE

Manifesting Wealth

A women-led personal finance club empowers members to take control of their money goals

On the last Sunday of every month, booth., a Pawtucket gathering space, is home to The Money Club (TMC). Led by Miellette McFarlane and Tatiana Baena, the new meetup empowers members to achieve their financial goals while also o ering guidance for navigating personal finance and investing. The idea for the group stems from its leaders’ desires to take control of their own financial futures.

For McFarlane, caring for a sick parent was an eye-opening experience. “While I had always taken pride in my ability to manage my money, I felt suddenly burdened with the feeling that I wasn’t fully preparing for the life I want to live and want to leave for my future family,” she says. Baena grew up filling out paperwork for her parents, helping siblings with schoolwork, and being involved in her family’s finances. “Being the eldest daughter of immigrants brings undeniable pressure – we often become caretakers or second parents before we are ready,” she explains. “I’m constantly sharing tips and resources with my family to help grow our wealth and pave the way to a better life for future generations.”

“My goal [with TMC] is to create a space where we can share knowledge, hold each other accountable, and celebrate each other’s wins,” says Baena. Using their “3M” pillars of mindfulness, management, and manifestation, McFarlane and Baena structure TMC workshops around actionable lessons, with di erent topics every month. Each meeting also includes working sessions allowing members to review their finances, seek guidance, and set goals for the next month. “The hope is that members will be able to see month-over-month progress and use TMC to help support and celebrate them along their money journey,” says McFarlane.

“While TMC is for everyone, we recognize that women and BIPOC have historically been institutionally barred from accessing the full set of resources regarding building wealth.” Noting the continued wage gap between men and women, and that women often also take on caretaker roles, McFarlane continues, “It is imperative that wealth building begins with and is passed on through women.” This month’s meeting takes place March 26 covering side hustles and entrepreneurship. Follow @themoneyclub_ri on Instagram to learn more. |

By Abbie Lahmers

In the Driver’s Seat

A high school food truck program gives students real-world, hands-on experience

The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) is bringing learning to the streets with their newly launched Menu for Success. Through the grant program, 13 area high schools will be able to fund food trucks that students will design and operate, all while developing skills in entrepreneurship, culinary arts, automotive learning, graphic design, and more.

“As Rhode Island rebuilds and reimagines its education system, RIDE is thinking outside of the box,” says Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green. “Through Menu for Success, we will provide our students with real-life experience in entrepreneurship, management, and accounting, sharpen their culinary skills and spark their creativity.”

Thirteen local education agencies (LEAs) have committed to participate in the initiative: Central Falls, Chariho, Cranston, Coventry, Davies Career & Technical High School, East Providence, Lincoln, Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, Warwick, Westerly, and Woonsocket.

A Taste Of The Real World

The goal of Menu for Success is to move learning beyond the classroom and into the community, where students can gain practical real-world experience that will aid in their future careers. As Lamel Moore, community connections and partnership liaison for the Pawtucket School Department, explains, “We want to make this the best and most outstanding learning experience that it can be. Students will have the opportunity to participate both inside and outside of the classroom. That is a great learning experience. It can be invaluable.”

“It’s not just culinary classes,” Moore adds. Schools can determine how to incorporate the food truck development into their curriculum. In East Providence, for example, Automotive Technology Program students will work on fixing and maintaining the trucks as part of their regular course studies. “Students from every area of focus can be involved. Graphic design students can map out the look of the trucks. Finance students can be involved from a business sense. The scope and breadth of what these students can do is outstanding. It really is unlimited.”

An Investment For The Future

The $1.6 million cost of the statewide program includes approximately $125,000 toward each truck, purchased through a joint request for proposals, plus additional support and resources provided by RIDE. Participating schools are expected to maintain the custom-fitted food trucks, which are expected to arrive this spring.

The program design was inspired by Rhode Island’s reputation as a food tourism destination, with the popularity of food trucks on the rise worldwide. Students will have the chance to be part of that exciting industry trend. At William M. Davies, Jr. Career and Technical High School in Lincoln, director Mary Watkins can’t wait to get the program up and running. “Food trucks are a fantastic small business and culinary learning opportunity, and – at Davies especially – a food truck will provide a great all-hands-on-deck project for students in our culinary, electrical, automotive, and graphics technical programs.”

Currently, each LEA is evaluating their options, from truck size to deciding on a trailer or a full-service vehicle, along with what kind of cooking equipment will go inside – a food truck business designed for baking, for instance, will look di erent than one serving hot wings. In January, representatives from each of the participating organizations met at the Cranston Area Career and Technical Center to review their options and tour two successful and well-known local food trucks: Nanu Burmese Fusion and Food Vibes.

Opening Doors For Every Student

Through industry exposure, RIDE’s Menu for Success initiative aims to open doors for students of color and increase the number who graduate with a defined plan for continued success. Although Rhode Island’s food sector accounts for countless jobs and billions of dollars in sales annually, not everyone has historically been invited to the table. The state lags far behind in creating opportunities to own and operate food businesses for people of color, who make up only 2 percent of Rhode Island’s 14,000 restaurants. This program hopes to address that issue.

The big picture, as Moore explains, is “having students perform at the highest level in ways that will make them proud and get the most out of them as well. These students will be exposed to countless opportunities. This can be the pipeline for so many outstanding experiences.”

RIDE plans to hold an event October 21, 2023 at Chase Farm in Lincoln, bringing together all 13 food trucks to celebrate the culinary arts in Rhode Island. For more information on the program, visit RIDE.RIgov.