Emerge Loan made a 5MK pledge to educate 1000 adults in financial literacy and open 1000 adult savings accounts.  Emerge Loan is a social mission driven business with the goal to provide better borrowing choices for working people and end predatory lending practices.  Read more about their mission and be inspired by their commitment to doing well by doing good.

Lorin Larason, Asset and Education Coordinator at Anderson Interfaith Ministries (AIM), made a 5MK pledge on behalf of AIM to educate 100 youth and adults in financial literacy, open youth and adult savings accounts, educate adults on how to secure the earned income tax credit, and engage volunteers to spread the message of financial literacy in Anderson, South Carolina.  AIM also has a fantastic individual development account program to help adults begin the practice of saving toward their future dreams.

Margaret Gilbert, Director for the Bradley Savings IDA Program, made a pledge on behalf of the Bradley Initiative for Church and Community to educate adults in financial literacy and open savings accounts for adults in Cleveland, TN. 

IDA stands for individual development accounts.  Click here to learn more about this powerful savings tool that is empowering Americans to take ownership of their financial futures all across the country.

Financial literacy.  Education.  Entrepreneurship.  These three distinct factors share a critical relationship that is vitally important as America presses through its ongoing economic recovery. Watch as Jennifer Thibeaux of Operation HOPE’s Office of Innovation, Research, and Assessment makes the case for the interconnectedness of these three factors in America’s economic reset.  Visit http://www.gohfli.org for more information on the groundbreaking work of Operation HOPE and Gallup Inc. to prove the connection between financial literacy and hope, wellbeing, and engagement in life.

Talmer Bank and Trust believes in the importance of financial literacy for the wellbeing of our nation.  Karen Vergosen is a Community Reinvestment Act Officer for Talmer Bank and Trust headquartered in Troy, MI and on behalf of her branch Karen pledged that the employees of Talmer Bank and Trust would educate 500 youth and 100 adults in financial literacy together.

As a board member of Financial Beginnings, Brett Trosclair has been a long time advocate of financial literacy in the Oregon community.  As a, teacher at Century High School in Hillsboro he has been a actively involved in bringing financial literacy to hundreds of his students, and he once again shows his commitment to make a difference by pledging to bring financial literacy to 285 students.  Thank you Brett!

5MK Reaches the 100 Pledge Milestone!

Since officially kicking off our national financial literacy campaign less than two months ago we have seen an amazing response from individuals and organizations around the country who are committed to expanding the impact of financial literacy in their lives and their communities.  We thank Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) for making the 100^th official 5MK pledge to educate one thousand kids through the ABCD SummerWorks program this summer.

5MK Receives First International Pledge

This month we got our first international pledge from Kelly Doerksen of Guaranteed Financial Service in British Columbia, Canada!  We get pledges from all different parts of the country, and though 5MK is currently focused on expanding the impact of financial literacy here in the U.S. we do envision expanding the scope of our initiative internationally in the future.  Kelly Doerksen is a certified financial planner and made a pledge on behalf of Guaranteed Financial Service to educate 500 youth and 500 adults in financial literacy!

OneUnitedBank donates President Teri Williams’ new children’s book, I Got Bank!, to over 250 schools and libraries in 34 states

OneUnited Bank’s promotion of "Financial Literacy for Youth" has reached several important milestones in 2011.  In February, OneUnited Bank President and Chief Operating Officer Teri Williams released her new children’s book entitled I Got Bank! The book is the centerpiece of OneUnited Bank’s new initiative to promote financial literacy for urban youth. The bank has already donated books to over 250 schools and libraries in thirty-four states, and continues to offer free books to libraries and schools through its web site www.oneunited.com/book.

In addition, OneUnited Bank has launched a partnership with the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy^® a coalition of organizations that work to advance financial literacy among students from pre-school through college (www.jumpstart.org). Recently Ms. Williams conducted financial literacy workshops at the Hurley and Hernandez schools inBoston with Jump$tart for Project ALERTA, an award winning youth program to improve the educational opportunities and achievement of Latino students in the Boston Public Schools (www.umb.edu/alerta).

The bank has also joined nationally recognized Operation HOPE in Boston and Los Angeles to present "Banking on Our Future" – a five-hour curriculum for schools and youth groups (www.bankingonourfuture.org). Bank managers delivered presentations at Madison Park High School and the Thurgood Marshall Middle School in Boston and Los Angeles respectively. In Los Angeles, OneUnited Bank and Operation Hope are combining I Got Bank! with the "Banking on Our Future" curriculum.

"We enjoy teaching financial literacy to area school groups," Ms. Williams stated. "The reactions – from principals, teachers and students – have been enthusiastic and reinforcing.  We are on the right track."

In conjunction with the release of the book, OneUnited Bank is sponsoring the I Got Bank! Essay Contest. To enter, children must write an essay about financial literacy (no purchase necessary). The bank will award three winners a $1,000 savings account in August 2011. I Got Bank! is published by The Beckham Publications Group, Inc. (www.beckhamhouse.com). The official rules for the essay contest, as well as information on how libraries and schools can receive a free book (supplies are limited) are available at www.oneunited.com/book.