Hayden Heath first heard about the IDA program while participating in the financial education class for Native seniors that WSCAT offers in partnership with Madras High School. He was about to graduate and head to school in the fall. He needed a car to help him get back and forth from campus, so he enrolled in the IDA program. That summer, he saved regularly, depositing money into his IDA account every paycheck. 

As he was saving, he met with a WSCAT financial counselor to talk about his goals. He opened a bank account and credit card at a credit union and encourages others to do the same to start building their credit. He discussed what types of car he could afford and whether to get a loan, as well as creating a spending plan that included his rental costs for school. 

When asked about what he learned through the program, he stated “how to maintain good credit” and “figure out how to keep myself out of a financial crisis.”

He is currently studying forestry at Mount Hood Community College. The truck he purchased in January of 2025 helps him commute between Mount Hood Community College, his house in Gresham, and back to Warm Springs.