December 15, 2025
Financial literacy isn’t just a life skill, it’s a lifeline. It’s about power. It’s about agency. It’s about safety. And for women across our region, financial confidence can be the difference between staying stuck and stepping into a future defined by independence, opportunity, and choice.
That’s why United Way’s Women United initiative invests in programs that remove barriers and help women strengthen their financial security. Empower U (another United Way initiative in partnership with ATB) is one of those programs. And for thousands of women, it has been a turning point in their lives.
Martina Crory, an Empower U facilitator at the Elizabeth Fry Society of Northern Alberta, has seen firsthand what happens when women gain the financial tools they’ve always deserved.
Financial independence is critical for women because it directly impacts their safety, stability, and ability to make choices without fear or limitation. When women have control over their finances, they are better positioned to leave unsafe situations, weather unexpected financial shocks, and plan for the future with confidence.
Empowerment: Understanding financial concepts empowers women to take control of their finances, make informed decisions, and plan for the future.
Security: Financial literacy helps women build a safety net, manage debt, and save for emergencies, reducing financial stress.
Independence: With financial knowledge, women can achieve independence, whether they are single, married, or in any other life situation.
Protection: Financial literacy can help women recognize and prevent economic abuse, ensuring they have control over their own financial resources.
“The changes I see are incredible. Many women arrive feeling a bit wary and shy. But as they get to know me and the other women, they open up. Their confidence skyrockets. Empower U is exactly that — empowering.” — Martina
Empower U provides women with practical tools and community support to build real, lasting financial stability. Participants learn how to budget, manage credit, understand debt, navigate financial systems, and make informed financial decisions — all in a safe, judgment-free space.
The program also includes a matched-savings component, allowing women to build savings faster and invest in goals such as rebuilding credit, education, or starting a small business.
Through workshops, group discussions, and facilitator-led learning, Empower U helps women develop financial confidence, break patterns they may have learned growing up, and build new narratives around money.
“So many women tell me they wish they learned this material in high school,” Martina says. “There’s an expectation that adults automatically know how taxes, credit, or interest work — but that’s just not reality. Learning alternatives helps women reshape their own behaviours and beliefs about money.”
Unlike many financial literacy programs, Empower U is completely unbiased and community-focused. Facilitators don’t sell products, promote services, or push financial agendas. Their only goal is to help women learn — safely, honestly, and without pressure.
“What I love about Empower U is that we have no agenda,” says Martina. “We’re unbiased and factual. We don’t offer advice, just options. And participants build strong connections. It becomes a safe space.”
Each agency offering Empower U tailors the experience to the women they serve, whether they are single mothers, newcomers to Canada, survivors rebuilding after abuse, or women navigating career or life transitions. The result is a deeply connected learning community where women cheer each other on and build trust over time.
Financial security is not out of reach. It is not too late. You are not too far behind. No matter your age, circumstance, or starting point, you deserve the confidence and security that financial literacy brings.
As Martina says: “It is never too late to take control. Many women feel like their finances are too far gone. But there is always help out there from programs like Empower U.”
Women United believes every woman deserves the chance to build independence, security, and choice. Empower U is here to help make that possible — one woman, one breakthrough, one empowered future at a time.
Join a network of bold, driven women who are stepping up, speaking out, and investing in programs like Empower U that transform lives.
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