Profile: Bob Martin and Money Management

Now with MVES for over a year, Bob Martin has revitalized the Money Management Program. The number of clients who benefit from the service has increased along with the number of volunteers who help clients with financial issues.

Editor: What is the Money Management Program?

B. Martin: The Money Management Program is designed to help elders remain independent as long as possible by providing assistance with increasingly complex financial tasks. We help elders who are experiencing difficulty with keeping track of bills, balancing checkbooks, and managing debt. Sometimes we help elders set up a budget. The program is sponsored by the AARP, MVES, and Massachusetts’ Executive Office of Elder Affairs.

Editor: How did you become involved with the Money Management Program?

B. Martin: I was a volunteer for Project SAFE, an MVES program that checks on the safety of elders who live in their own homes. MVES felt that the Money Management Program needed a fulltime coordinator and my interests and background were a strong match. I wanted a way to serve individuals in the community and Money Management allows me to do that.

Editor: What is your biggest challenge as coordinator of the Money Management Program?

B. Martin: It’s making potential volunteers aware of this program. There is a growing need in the community for the services and support that Money Management offers and we need people to invest a couple of hours a month to help an elder. It is very rewarding work and certainly appreciated by our clients.

Editor: What is the most rewarding part?

B. Martin: It’s helping clients get a better grasp of their financial matters. Many institutions today are making day-to-day business transactions so complex that elders are intimidated. This intimidation can often lead to the elders being exploited because they don’t know when to question a bill or statement. Money management is a key part of all our lives and it helps to be comfortable with it. Our volunteers empower elders by helping them understand, and if necessary, question their bills, service, and financial transactions.

Editor: During your tenure, the Money Management Program has grown substantially. To what do you attribute this growth?

B. Martin: As I mentioned, there’s a big need for money management in the community. We have a dedicated group of volunteers—all trained, screened, and bonded—who provide a great service to elders. Both the number of volunteers and the number of clients have doubled in the past year. We have an advisory council of professionals that has helped us generate new ideas and recruit volunteers. And, we are working harder at promoting the program to the public.

Editor: Prior to coming to MVES, what did you do?

B. Martin: I had retired from the corporate finance world after thirty years in the field. I wanted to volunteer. Even though I work fulltime at MVES, I am still fortunate to be able to volunteer several hours a week at the VA hospital in Bedford.

Ironically, the first job I had was as a bill collector. Now I’m trying to help others pay their bills.

Editor: Where do you see the Money Management Program going in the next few years?

B. Martin: Given the increasingly complex nature of finances, I think there will be an even greater need for help within the elder and disabled populations. I think the program will double again, both in clients and volunteers, over a few years.