FARMINGTON — Simple ways to save, repair credit, reduce debt and explore job-training and educational opportunities are available Thursday through a program hosted by The Western Maine CA$H Coalition.

Experts will share ways to earn more money, keep it and grow it during the program, “CA$H for Your Future: Making the most of your money in today’s economy.” It will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. March 17 in Olsen Student Center at the University of Maine at Farmington.

The public is welcome to visit with experts from at least a dozen resources ranging from financial entities to nonprofit organizations, Lisa Laflin, executive director of the United Way of the Tri-Valley Area, said.

For the first half-hour, resource tables will be set up around North Dining Hall for participants to visit, she said. Then a panel of experts will discuss savings, credit, debt and educational/job opportunities all geared to what Franklin County has to offer, she said. People can then go back to the individual tables for the last half hour, she said.

Panelists include Janet Smith of Women, Work and Community; Ray Therrien of Adult Education and the Franklin County Community College Network; Doreen Cardona of Key Bank; Jackie Weigleb of Money Management International (formerly Consumer Credit Counseling of Maine) and a representative of Bangor Savings Bank.

Smith will discuss Family Development Accounts, matched savings accounts that can be used for first-time home buying, continuing education or starting/growing a business. Therrien will address educational opportunities to build job skills. Cardona will present ways to save money and how to make the most of bank programs such as IRAs, savings accounts and CDs, and Weigleb will address how to reduce debt and repair credit.

All participants will be eligible for a drawing for a $100 Hannaford gift certificate or $100 in fuel or gas, Laflin said.

The Western Maine CA$H Coalition is currently finishing its free tax preparation for area families who earn less than $50,000. So far, nearly 200 tax forms have been completed by the program’s IRS-trained volunteers, she said.

Participants will receive packets to take home. They include information on budgeting, tracking where money goes and how much each dollar can grow if it’s saved and built on, she said.

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