hi, everyone, welcome to "on the money. i'm becky quick. a helping hand for those struggling to make ends meet, and one thing that could make a big difference in their lives. >> the rate of poverty here is three times what you see in the nation as a whole. if you're looking for a job, now is a good time if you're hiring, maybe not. the skills employers want, and how you can increase your value. you may not have to do that if you're a health care worker. if you like lights, sirens, and saving lives, there could be a career for you and will giving dogs people food make them healthier and happier? one company is betting the farm on it. "on the money" starts right now. >> this is "on the money," your

money, your life, your future. now, becky quick >> we begin with a story that most people don't know about but should a staggering number-- one in four u.s. households are actually nderbanked or unbanked that means they either don't have a bank account or have one but still need to use expensive services like payday loans just to make ends meet. steve leaseman dug into this in the mississippi delta, he found the story of a family, a fire, and a focus on the financial system >> reporter: two fires in their homes in the mississippi delta left farrah applebury and her girls destitute. >> we prayed in unison because i didn't want to lose another home and one of my girls said, "mama, it's going to be all right god got us," that this, too, shall pass >> reporter: along literally came hope. a credit union focused on economically distressed areas in the south that brings basic

banking services to the nation's poorest. >> the rate of poverty here is three times what you see in the nation as a whole, even greater for the region's african-american residents if you look at level of banking services, three times the level of people who don't have a banking account. and when you add the number of people who use check cashers and payday lenders, between 60% to 70% of the members who join our credit union were outside the banking system or on the edge of the financial system, paying high rates or did not have basic tools to support their families and stabilize their financial lives. >> reporter: you can see the absence of banking services in poor towns like this throughout the mississippi delta. nationally, one in four americans is estimated to be unbanked or underbanked, meaning they don't have access to basic banking services some live in banking deserts where there just aren't branches for miles. some don't trust banks, and some think they're just too poor to open an account. but there's also more focus on

the issue. recently fed chairman jerome powell made an historic trip to the delta, speaking to students and attending a conference with investors, bankers, and community activists to shine a spotlight on the problem of the unbanked >> access to safe and affordable financial services is vital, especially among families with limited wealth whether they're looking to invest in education, start a business, or simply manage the ups and downs of life. >> reporter: access to banking is such a problem down here that it was only in 2015 that hope opened the town's first bank atm. >> when hope came in, they -- that was the first thing they did. they knocked a hole in the wall and put an atm machine there there was very little business that you could conduct here in moorhead >> reporter: financial counseling means farrah should be out of bankruptcy by november >> once i get out of bankruptcy, i know it may not be the fattest account, but i'm looking to have enough money in hope that if i have a dry day, me and my girls

will still make it so i had to learn to save small to get to be >> reporter: for the unbanked trying to find their way out of poverty, some account, no matter what size, is better than no account at all and financial experts say mrs. appleberry is right. any account no matter how small is better than none. the growing challenge -- community banks are closing, technology's eliminating the need for branches. moreand more, poor communities have less and less access to the banking services they need, becky. >> when i've talked to other people, they say, yes, but you can do so much with your phone you can do all of those things there. how come that doesn't translate to helping people in communities where they need it >> technology creates a promise, but you have to leap over the idea that some of them don't have banking accounts, right the idea that you can do so much with this phone and yet some people don't even have access tto atms, to bridge the technology banks are closing down, many are

going away so the more technology goes forward, the more these people get left behind. >> it sounds like the community banks also provide something, a little counseling almost, to walk you through the it. you need that personal touch >> absolutely. on the broader level, becky, banking and lending is becoming a commodity. you can go on line and fill out a form to get a loan, and you can get an answer when you hit enter. it's commoditized based on your income and credit story. people like ms. appleberry need individual counseling. the way they look at her and other lending there is piece by piece. some cases they use cable bills to show your financial -- ability to repay that one-on-one service is going away in the broader banking business >> thank you an excellent story i'm glad you brought it to us. >> thank you >> steve leaseman. hope credit union is one of nearly 1,200 community development financial institutions or cdfis, that are

improving communities and providing the underbanked and unbanked access to mainstream finance. joining us is lisa mensa, president and ceo of the opportunity finance network. lisa, thank you so much for being here >> thank you >> your organization does this you help cdfis so they can provide affordable services like this how does it work >> that's right. we help get the money, amplify the voice and strengthen the nation's community development financial institutions we're about 1,200 across the nation we manage about $150 billion in assets collectively. and our job is to help those credit unions and loan funds and community banks do more, help more people, so that they can move on with their lives >> it's kind of a staggering statistic when you're thinking that 25%, one in four households are actually in need of additional banking they're unbanked or underbanked. what -- what happened, is this

unusual, when we dig into this, what are the reasons behind why they don't have bank accounts? >> yeah. it's both personal and systemic. and i think that's what this story in mississippi showed. we're so glad that chairman powell put a spotlight on this in some cases, it's personal there have been bankruptcies or fires or things. the good part about working with cdfis is that cdfis help the people get on with their lives but also help the places rise. you also need not just transact but to get ready for a mortgage, to help send kids to school, and to do the things that help move you into the middle class. that's where these mission-oriented loan funds or banks or credit unions are very strong >> what you say, where we talk about it being a systemic problem, it sounds like it's hard to break the cycle if you haven't seen access to this in the past, if you haven't been taught it in school, if you haven't watched it happen at home, it's hard to figure out on your own it's not intuitive, a lot of it. >> it's not intuitive. having a strong partner, an old-fashioned community

development financial institution that will give you some advice, but also provide you with an account so that you start breaking the cycle you actually get a good credit history. and they want to be there for that next loan, for the loan for the house, the -- the help for the community. we like to think of ourselves as mayor's best friend because we'll help in other aspects of helping a community. >> do the cdfis make money, as well it's not just a charitable organization, right? >> they're not we are profitable, but we're not profit maximizing. we seek to maximize impacts. we help more people get jobs, more people move into mortgages. we are profitable. >> how do you actually begin to educate people is it as easy as setting up a bank in a community and people suddenly start to trust a bank that maybe they haven't touched in the past? it seems that's a bit of a leap. >> what hope did and what that credit union was able to do is they did set up, and they take time with people sometimes this was people's first account. they had a history of being just with payday lenders or check

cashers. being close actually did start to -- on the individual level. but cdfis work beyond the individual level we actually also work with the mayor, and we help get a whole community's housing improved >> what steve talked about, the impact of technology, the idea that the future of the bank branch is uncertain or -- what we know certainly is they're probably going to be -- there are probably going to be fewer as people do more on line, does that impact this mission, as well >> it does sure, mainstream banking is changing, but that's where this industry, the cdfi industry which has had over 30 years to practice making good loans and working with individuals and working with communities, we're ready now to actually do more as the banking industry changes some folks are left out, and this is when we're prepared to step in and help move people forward. >> lisa, thank you so much for your time today. >> thank you up next, we are "on the money. if you are looking for work, employers are looking for you. the job skills in highest demand they may not be exactly what you

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are you feeling stuck in a rut at work? well, guess what, now may be the perfect time to land the job that you have always wanted. a new report from career builder says that 40% of employers plan to hire this year. senior personal finance correspondent sharon epperson joins us with more and what it means for you if you're on the job hunt great to see you >> good to be here >> what are the top skills that employers are actually looking for now? >> a lot of folks are on the job hunt, and many are worried that their skills may be outdated, maybe they don't know the latest in technology, so are they the right candidate for these jobs career builder found that 80% of employers said soft skills are just as important as hard skills

-- >> what are soft skills? >> maybe more important. soft skills are like getting along with other people, being able to work on a team, being able to pay attention to detail and get that task done, and being able to work with customers not just outside of your company but inside, as well >> how can they figure that out? when i'm on an interview with them that's tough >> that's theanecdotes, the stories that you tell. you have to quantify it in your resume and communication with the employer >> what are the areas in greatest demand when it comes to hiring full-time worker, and where are they >> the greatest demand is for skilled labor still. but that's in many industries, and not just in manufacturing. also important, data analysis, digital marketing, cybersecurity. those are the top four >> if i'm looking at that list and thinking how do i get myself some of these skills, what -- what do i need do? >> the good thing to know is you can look anywhere in the country. even though the west and south have most of those jobs where they're hiring for 2019, it's

pretty well spread out throughout the country that's good news in terms of how to make yourself stand out, there are a couple of things you need do first of all, that resume is going to be key. you need update that resume with new skills how do you do that say you wanted to learn some type of new computer programming skill or software skills, you can take a class on that, or you can work on a project that allows you to do it. learn by doing so whether that's volunteering for an organization that lets you do it or finding another department within your company that would allow you to work on something, that's one of the keys you want to do. you take that information, you put it on your resume. it's experience. even if it's volunteer work, it's still experience in a key area and make sure you figure out what those relevant words are that the employer is looking for and you put them everywhere, in your resume, in your cover letter it's your spin when you have the interview. and it's on your linkedin profile. the last thing that's important is always stay positive and exude confidence even though you're like i don't know if i got this, you got to make sure the employer thinks you have it. that you're a value, and that

you're going to add value to the company. >> good advice sharon, thank you. >> sure. >> sharon epperson the skills of paramedics and emergency medical technicians are in high demand whether they're responding to an access or illness, their speed and actions save lives many rural and urban locations are finding those crucial jobs hard to fill we went to maine to find out why. [ siren >> reporter: on any given day, eric mailman could transport a baby, requiring intensive care from one hospital to another, or help an elderly patient in ca cardiac arrest he could answer between four and 17 calls a day on shifts that stretch well beyond 24 hours the only guarantee is his days and nights will be busy and unpredictable. >> if it's a slow day, then you -- you're doing well those days where the demand is high, you have the increased call volume that, you know, everyone decides to be sick all at one time, then you're really -- you're really struggling. >> reporter: mailman works at

northern light health where 170 people are employed in emergency medical services but the rural main system is in need of about 10% more ems staffers, and hiring is proving increasingly challenging in a tight labor market are fewer people are enter the profession >> unemployment is low that's a big part of it. this is a job that people used to get into, you know, one of the more common pathways was through volunteerism and volunteer yirk -- volunteerism is way down >> reporter: some 37,000 emt and paramedic jobs will be added through 2026 according to bls. demand for ems workers comes at a time when the health care sector is adding a myriad of jobs some 42,000 were added in january as the population continues to age and seek care, and workers age out of their roles in the industry. a strong job market is also having another effect. >> more people with health benefits, more people with insurance increases demand for

health care. and therefore, health jobs >> reporter: one thing is for sure -- as more people seek care, workers like mailman will be ready to answer the call. >> you get to step into the chaos of the worst day of somebody's life and bring calm, bring peace, and have the ability to step in and help somebody on their worst day. that to me is priceless. >> reporter: beyond a worker shortage, there's a funding issue for programs some communities as reimbursements from insurers and medicaid and medicare are outpaced by wage pressures and costs to operate this can be common in volunteer programs funded largely by donations and taxpayer dollars >> what are the pay and benefits situations for workers like this >> they'll certainly vary. but on average, i think pay was around $30,000 a year, $33,000 a year, the median pay >> wow you're expected to be trained before you walk in the door by volunteering your time to get that done. that's a big ask >> that's right. and also, though, depending where you work, some of them are willing to do some tuition

reimbursement because it is harder and harder to find these people >> all right, kate, thank you so much >> thank you next, we're "on the money. a hungry dog will eat whatever is in the bowl but is freshly made food healthier and worth the higher cost one business is betting the farm termites. we're on the move. hey rick, all good? oh yeah, we're good. we're good. terminix. defenders of home.

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dog food used to come out of a can or a scoop from a ten-pound bag. today, more pet owners are watching what's in the meals they give their pets as sue herrera found, it was the search for a healthy food for a sick dog that led two entrepreneurs to see if they were barking up the right tree >> reporter: for two years, jada suffered with stomach issues her owner, bret padulski, tried all kinds of foods from kibbles to cans, and freeze-dried to raw. he was constantly running home to check on jada >> i felt so bad for her it was -- it was a -- like a heartbreaking time period. >> reporter: in 2014, a vet suggested home cooking human food, beef and vegetables. jonathan regev, that's his dog buddy, roomed with padulsky at the time >> i'm like, what are you doing? he said, i'm cooking for jada. i thought he was insane. i had never seen anybody cooking for their dog before >> it was like magic

all of her symptoms disappeared. >> reporter: unable to use a product using the usda's standard for human food, they kept cooking and began researching. they found stories linking cancers in pets to food. companies focused on cost efficiency and products meeting only bare minimum standards. >> nothing commercial was going to be fed to my dog ever again >> reporter: dogs need what's known as a complete and balanced diet, with more vitamins and nutrients than they get from human food alone so padulsky and regev created a mix and tested samples at a lab until they got the farmer's dog. launching in late summer, 2014, it's frozen and shipped to arrive days after it's cooked. >> this one's turkey, broccoli, parsnips, carrots, and then the vitamin and mineral mix. >> reporter: it's human grade with no preservatives, and yes, they've both eaten it. >> somebody was like, when was the last time you ate it

i was feeding jada, and i took a bite >> reporter: dr. carly foxx at the animal medical center in new york says she usually recommends commercially available food as long as it's complete and balanced so is freshly made human food better she says maybe >> it is beneficial for a pet to eat human-grade food if it's something that is available to you and it's something that you're able to provide to your pet. i think it's something that you should absolutely discuss with your veterinarian. >> reporter: costs depend on the size of a dog, averaging about $29 a week the farmer's dog hit the market just as american spending on pet food began trending up, almost $30 billion in 2018. up more than 30% in four years >> this is not just a sick dog thing. this is an every dog thing we wanted a company whose entire focus was making dogs healthy.

>> and bret and jonathan say they are now shipping more than a million meals a month. >> wow >> pretty good business, right >> that is a big pickup. more than i would have anticipated with that. >> absolutely. >> how do they know what kind of fresh food to ship to your dog >> what you can do, you go on their website and you fill out a questionnaire. and it asks you things like the activity level of the dog, the breed of the dog, any health concerns that you have with the dog. and then they will customize the diet for your particular pet >> i wonder what they'd do for 12 1 120-pound dog, my age. probably better eating than i do for myself >> peep spend a lot of money on pets regular commercial dog food isn't that cheap anyway. it's not costing you all that much more if -- if at all depending on the breeds of your dog. >> thank you so much great to see you >> you got it. >> good to see you, too. up next "on the money," a look at the news for the week ahead. first, how the stock market

ended the week

here are the stories coming up that may impact your money this week. on monday, we'll be getting the closely watched retail sales numbers for january. on tuesday, the consumer price index is released as an important measure of inflation on wednesday, we get the durable

goods number for january those are items intended to last at least three years thursday, it's a report on real estate new home sales numbers will be out. and for all you math nerds, it's national pi day, p-i, not p-i-e. 3 we 3.14, get it, march 14th, 3.14, if you laughed, you're a nerd, too. i'm becky quick. thank you so much for joining us next week, a new take on farm-to-table food where your salad is so local that the fresh greens are grown in the basement. hmm. each week keep it right here we're "on the money. have a nice weekend.

hey there, scott wopner in for mess a lee on "options action," here's what's coming up ♪ >> as stocks see the worst week of the year, utilities just hit an all-time high and there's something in the charts that suggests there's more room for the group to shine. carter worth will break it down, and mike coe will give the trade. plus, talk about socially awkward. >> you can't sit with us >> because there's one social stock shutting out its