"THE ACHE FOR HOME LIVES IN ALL OF US, THE SAFE PLACE WHERE WE CAN GO AS WE ARE AND NOT BE QUESTIONED."

THISTL is collaborating with LifeWise StL to offer Economic Wellness courses specifically for trans and gender-expansive humans. Topics include Goal Setting, Financial Trauma, Budgeting/Savings, Credit, Insurance, and Consumer Rights.

What is the hatch fund? Hatch Fund is a match savings program run by LifeWise StL that supports transgender and gender expansive people in establishing and attaining their savings goals. This fund offers both in-depth personal finance education and money towards a pre-selected goal. Your savings goal will have some requirements, such as:

• Must go towards generating an asset for the individual (this means you will need to use the savings match towards a new purchase and not towards things like debt reduction, which is a separate LifeWise program).
• The match you receive must be paid out to a 3rd party vendor (such as a car dealership or hospital). The savings match from LifeWise StL is not able to be withdrawn or used for personal use (except in the case of emergencies or program withdrawal) .
• Potential goals you can select include
  • First time homebuying (limited slots, must confirm with LifeWise during intake)
  • Home or apartment repair 
  • Medical (doesn't have to be transition related, can't be medical debt),
  • Secondary Education (if you are enrolled in school right now, needs to go to an upcoming or current balance on your account, not previous school debt or loans you have taken out in the past)
  • Car Purchase (new or used).
  •  If none of these goals meet your needs PLEASE let us know so we can talk it through with you and see how we can make it work. The LifeWise team is ready to have that conversation with you - we really want to make this program work for you within the limitations we have to operate within. 99% of people are able to set a goal that works for them within these requirements even if it was not your original idea for your goal. 

 Services include:

• ¡Estos servicios también están disponibles en español! Si necesita ayuda para completar este formulario, envie un mensaje de texto directamente a Ian Amado al (314) 899-8656 para inscribirse. 
• Obtaining and reviewing credit reports
• Creating debt-reduction plans
• Creating savings goals and plans
• Accessing checking and savings accounts
• Organizing and understanding financial documents
• Designing a unique budget
• Addressing the behaviors that prevent individuals from successfully reaching goals
• Accessing healthy wealth-building and credit-building products
• Participants who complete all program requirements can earn up to $3,600! 
  • LifeWise STL’s Hatch Fund provides $3,000 to those who finish the program and successfully save $1,000 in their savings account with St. Louis Community Credit Union.
  • To support you in reaching that savings goal, THISTL offers a $300 stipend halfway through, and another $300 when you complete all program requirements.
  • These stipends will be paid out by THISTL via paper check.
• Free childcare and meals are provided.

What’s Available? Limited spots are available. Upon completing the listed program requirements, you will receive $3,000 from LifeWise StL towards your saving goal.

Registration is open for July 2026 Economic Wellness classes. Note that by signing up for this program, you are signing up for the Economic Wellness classes as well as the Hatch Fund wait list. There are a gauranteed, but limited, number of Hatch Fund slots available this summer and anyone who can't join the summer cohort will join the waitlist for the winter cohort. By completing your Economic Wellness classes in July and August, you are also completing the first half of the Hatch Fund requirements which will prime you to begin Hatch Fund as soon as you get off the waitlist! 

Save $1,000, Get $3,000 Requirements:

• Complete a mandatory in-person orientation session May 4th, 2026
• 8 Finance Education classes (begins July 7th 2026) which are primarily in-person, with virtual accommodations available by request 
• 1 in-person intake session to be scheduled within 1 month of your final Finance Education class (this part begins once you get off the Hatch Fund waitlist!)
• 5 individual coaching sessions with a LifeWise financial social worker (this part begins once you get off the Hatch Fund waitlist!)
• $20 minimum monthly deposits into a secured savings account with St. Louis Community Credit
  Union (this part begins once you get off the Hatch Fund waitlist!)
• Minimum 6 months, maximum 2 years to complete program
• Must not exceed income limit

How do I learn more and/or sign up? Please complete this form and we will reach out to you shortly in order to schedule a quick phone call or virtual meeting where we can connect with you and gather some additional information.

Reach out to THISTL with any questions: programs@thi-stl.org