The Southwestern Adventist University Enactus team, in partnership with Pinnacle Bank, Starbucks and Wal-Mart, is leading in Spoons for Change, a program dedicated to empower women of all ages to provide expert advice on different things that they might have questions about.

“This program really helps me in many ways,” says Cynthia Licon, an attendee at the Spoons for Change event. “Spoons for Change helps me give good advice to my 20-year-old daughter about how to choose her university, her career and ways for her to save money. I have also learned many ways to get good exercise at my age and great ways to eat healthier.”

In the past two weeks, Spoons for Change has discussed how to live a healthier lifestyle and creative ways to get children to eat their fruits and vegetables. It has shown attendees how to budget correctly and what a person can do to get their credit back up. Tonight, Spoons for Change will provide examples on how to correctly write a resume and how prepare for an interview. And on Feb. 16, it will show the attendees how to dress to impress and for success, a tutorial given by Mary Kay representatives.

“Women are the nucleus of a family,” says Ana Patterson, Southwestern Enactus director and adjunct professor. “In order to improve a community as a whole, women need to be empowered.”

Each year only a few of the international Enactus teams are chosen to receive this grant. It’s sponsored by Wal-Mart through the Women’s Economic Empowerment Project Partnership. Southwestern’s Enactus team stood out for the dedicated and meaningful work they’ve accomplished.

Enactus will host a series of workshops to help women improve the lives of their families and themselves. The classes will be filled with tips on nutrition, exercise, budgeting, life improvement and menu planning. Cooking demonstrations and healthy recipe ideas to help families stretch their food budget make the classes fun and interactive.

“The goal is to empower women to take control of their family’s budget and learn how to save money,” says Patterson.

Additional workshops will be held to help women in the workplace. They teach resume writing, interview skills, how to dress for success and job training resources. Enactus designed the class to improve upward mobility of women who are currently in low-socio economic classes.

Shelby Daniel, senior Business major and Enactus leader, developed “Spoons for Change.”  She also applied for the grant. Not only will the grant help implement the project, but it will also give Enactus an opportunity to compete for additional funds based on the outcomes of the project.

The program is made possible by support from Billie Hopps, principal at Keene Junior High School, Pinnacle Bank, and other members of the community.

Each year, universities around the country compete at an annual Enactus event in front of judges, and professionally present projects they have done throughout the year to better the community. The Spoons for Change event will provide the Southwestern Enactus team with a new item to add to their itinerary for competition.