Find Your Freedom: Janaia Bass

How Financial Counselor Janaia Bass Found her Freedom Working at Freedom First

Janaia has been working at Freedom First for 5 years now. She started working in our branches, getting to know our members and finding creative ways to help them. When an opportunity arose to join the Community Development department, a team dedicated to innovating new products and services to help credit-challenged people looking for a second chance, she knew it was her calling.

As a personal banker in the Community Development department, she helped people who were declined for traditional loans find affordable alternatives that worked for them. “If you can’t find a loan, we make it so you don’t have to go get a high-interest title or payday loan,” Janaia says. “We’re that perfect hybrid where we’re not giving you outrageous interest rates - we’re getting you what you qualify for at the credit union.”

“I consider myself a saving grace, second-chance banker.”

Janaia’s enthusiasm for working at Freedom First knows no bounds. “I believe that I have the coolest job in the world. I never thought I’d have a job like this. I call my team the Financial Superheroes!”

Now, as a professionally certified Financial Counselor at the Roanoke Financial Empowerment Center - a partnership between Freedom First Enterprises, the City of Roanoke, and the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund - Janaia can be a guiding force for people from all walks of life.

No goal is too small, no question too silly. Janaia and her fellow counselors provide a judgment-free environment for anyone in the community to stop by and learn more about personal finances, free of charge.