Interview with a community financial navigator supporting households in transition

Community financial navigators (CFNs) meet with residents facing layoffs, relocations, or benefit gaps to map resources and keep them moving forward. This interview with a composite CFN, Laila Gomez, captures how she blends empathy, toolkits, and follow-up rituals to keep folks afloat without offering personal advice.

Meet people where they are

“The first visit is all listening,” Laila explains. She hears the story, notes the stress points, and intentionally avoids quick recommendations. Instead, she outlines the immediate issue (e.g., unemployment gap, housing notice, utility disconnect) and then pairs it with the appropriate toolkit (recurring payments tracker, cash flow statements, or the incident log).

Use narrative plus numbers

Laila uses simple visuals: a one-page “money map” showing income sources, expenses, and obligations. She combines this with the command center to highlight where the pressure is—maybe a single big bill or a gap between paydays.

Assign micro-steps

Each visit ends with 1–2 small steps:

• Call the local utility for a payment plan.
• Submit a SNAP recertification packet.
• Refill the emergency buffer using fractional savings (set aside $20 from the next paycheck).

She records the steps in a shared doc and follows up the next week to celebrate progress. This mimics the micro-habits and gratitude rituals the site teaches.

Offer gentle accountability

When people slip, she reframes it curiously: “What happened? What’s the next experiment?” She also connects folks to communities (mutual-aid emergency fund, literacy circle) so they can see they’re not alone.

Closing reflection

Community financial navigators blend care with structure. Laila’s approach—listen first, map the situation, assign actionable micro-steps, and follow up—offers a blueprint for anyone guiding others through tough transitions. Keep the story specific, pair it with your tools, and stay curious about what helps most.