Carrie Joy Grimes

Growing up in a working- and middle-class family from the Midwest and Appalachia, Carrie Joy Grimes was steeped in the notion that hard work creates opportunity. As the National Organizing Director of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), she helped launch the Fight for $15, a national movement to increase the minimum wage. But by 2017, even with the success of raising the minimum wage, she found herself deeply concerned that middle- and working-class Americans were increasingly unable to afford to live good lives.

For the 147 million Americans who work hard but can’t afford an $1,000 emergency, the path forward seems increasingly hard to find. Grimes founded WorkMoney, a national nonprofit, to make families more financially secure. WorkMoney delivers financial advice, economic policy information, and a suite of services to members, helping them improve their financial lives and engage in advocacy for policies that make living more affordable. With more than 5 million members in 50 states, WorkMoney is transforming people’s bank accounts—and their sense of civic power.