OC Community Celebrates New Financial Advisory Center at Kinoshita Elementary

BY COLLIN BREAUX

Families in San Juan Capistrano looking for fiscal guidance can turn to a “financial empowerment” center at Kinoshita Elementary School.

Community dignitaries celebrated the new center on Wednesday, May 10, with a ribbon-cutting at the campus. The center was made possible through a partnership between Orange County United Way, Capistrano Unified School District, and Pacific Life Foundation—the last of which is contributing $750,000 toward the site over a five-year period.

The Kinoshita Elementary resource is part of Orange County United Way’s SparkPoint OC program, which provides low-income families with access to free personal financial coaching and resources. The San Juan site is the second SparkPoint OC location in South Orange County and eighth overall in Orange County.

Orange County United Way CEO Sue Parks said the program started in 2012. “It’s a program about accountability.