The American Bankers Association Foundation today launched its 2018 financial education registration campaign, calling on banker volunteers from across the country to register for a range of successful, industry-wide programs designed to enhance financial education in their local communities. The first ABA Foundation initiative in 2018 is Teach Children to Save.
The Teach Children to Save program is a national campaign launched in 1997 that encourages bankers to visit schools or youth groups in their local communities and present savings lessons. New to this year’s programming are lesson plans that teach students what banks do, how they support local communities and what skills are needed to be a banker. Last year, approximately 13,530 bankers taught more than 16,265 lessons across the country.
Teach Children to Save Day will be celebrated on April 20, but bankers can hold their lessons throughout the year.
Registered bankers will receive real-time customer support, program and communication materials, and will be featured in a list of participating banks on the ABA Foundation’s website.
“Early introduction and continued exposure to the fundamentals of financial knowledge can yield lifelong benefits,” said Corey Carlisle, ABA Foundation executive director. “We’re proud to offer programs that not only encourage investment in the next generation, but provide bankers with the resources they need to do it.”
When registering for Teach Children to Save, bankers are encouraged to register for the ABA Foundation’s other 2018 financial education initiatives:
- Get Smart About Credit, now in its 16th year, is a campaign of volunteer bankers who visit classrooms across the country to help teens and young adults learn how to use credit wisely. Bankers also teach students about protecting their identity, managing their money, paying for college and the various careers available to them through the banking industry. Although Get Smart About Credit Day is celebrated in October, bankers are encouraged to also give lessons throughout the year.
- Safe Banking for Seniors. Launched in 2015, this national campaign of volunteer bankers helps older customers and their financial caregivers understand and mitigate the risks of fraud and financial abuse. New this year is FinEdLink – a resource that helps connect senior-focused community groups with bankers in their area available for presentations. To learn more about the program and FinEdLink, register for the Safe Banking for Seniors webinar on January 18 at 2 p.m. ET.
“Our employees look forward to participating in these ABA Foundation initiatives every year,” said Erica Opstad, senior vice president, national manager, community relations, U.S. Bank and chair of the ABA Foundation Board of Directors. “With the professional resources provided to us by the Foundation, it’s easy for our bankers to carry out these programs in the local community. People are deeply appreciative of the financial education lessons we provide, but I think our banker volunteers feel just as rewarded knowing they are making a difference.”
Since 1997, the ABA Foundation’s financial education initiatives have reached 9.1 million young people with the help of more than 225,000 banker volunteers. The ABA Foundation encourages bankers across the country to participate in these industry-wide initiatives in addition to individual financial education and philanthropic efforts carried out every year by America’s banks.
Interested banks should register at aba.com/FinEd or call 1-800-BANKERS for more information.