SparkPoint opened an office in Contra Costa College in 2016 and since then, SparkPoint coordinator Bill Bankhead has been there to offer services to students, faculty and staff in the pursuit of economic success.

“SparkPoint provides free workshops and one-on-one coaching for students who are unable to financially support themselves,” Bankhead said.

However, last month Bankhead resigned his position as SparkPoint coordinator at CCC.

“Bill’s last day was Oct. 12 and he is now working at another community college,” administrative assistant Jill Binker said.

SparkPoint is a non-profit organization where low-income people can have access to services that will allow them to achieve “long-term financial stability.”

At Contra Costa College, SparkPoint has an office located in the first room in the Welcome Center and on the second floor of the Student and Administration Building.

Every student on campus has access to one-on-one financial coaching and information on how to make wise financial decisions that will benefit them. Currently, Bankhead has taken up a position at Los Medanos College as a program manager for their Workforce and Economic Development Department. There, Bankhead will still be in connection to SparkPoint, as they expand throughout the Contra Costa Community College District and Adult Education Program.

As of Oct. 14, Meghan Cadmus, site coordinator for SparkPoint, has officially taken over Bankhead’s position.

“She will be permanently taking over for Bankhead,” Binker said.

According to Cadmus, until someone new is hired to take her place in the Richmond office, she will have to split her time between the two sites.

“I’m still in transition. Until we hire someone at the Richmond office, I will be working part-time here and part-time there,” Cadmus said.

She will be on campus every Monday, Tuesday and Friday. In the meantime, financial coach Ingrid Alfaro, will be there on Wednesdays and Binker on Thursdays.

Even though she is still transitioning, Cadmus says she is ready to take up Bankhead’s position and start helping the community.

“Bill set me up well — he left me notes on who to contact for what and instructions on how to do things here on campus.”

Meghan says that she is excited to begin helping people, meeting new people and learning about the campus.

“It is so much bigger than I thought,” she said.