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The Seventh Annual Jacksonville Wise Money Week is a Month Away!
Wi$e Money Week is almost here! Now in it's seventh year, this unique collaboration of Jacksonville Financial Institutions, private companies, non-profit organizations and volunteers brings people together for an entertaining and impactful week of Financial Education.
This year, the program is scheduled for the week of May 14th and is designed to help individuals of all ages learn and incorporate critical financial skills into their lives.
This could not have happened without the dedication and support of all our partners and volunteers.
Classes are offered throughout the week by industry experts who volunteer their time and skills at multiple locations to ensure classes are accessible and convenient for Jacksonville residents wishing to attend.
Wi$e Money Week classes are also taught directly in the schools targeting children of all ages. Since it is never too early to establish an understanding of the important role that money and financial planning play in a modern economy this is an important part of the week. Historically, the kids have been very enthusiastic and receptive of the lessons and materials, oftentimes bringing it home so that their parents can participate and share in the learning.
To learn more about events and free classes, or to volunteer your time and energy, please visit the
Wi$e Money Week website by
clicking here.
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| Volunteers ready to start their day |
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We Need Volunteers!
We will be taking over eight local elementary schools during Wi$e Money Week! 126 volunteers are still needed to teach local students how to be Wi$e about Money!!
We are thrilled to be partnering with Junior Achievement for the Seventh Year to deliver their outstanding curriculum to over 260 Elementary Classrooms in Jacksonville.
Community volunteers have the opportunity to spend an entire day in a classroom to inspire and prepare students to succeed in a global economy. The Junior Achievement materials contain everything that the volunteer will need to deliver the lesson and lead the activities for the classroom. Teachers will stay in the classroom to support volunteers.
Interested in volunteering? Please visit the volunteer page for more information by
clicking here.
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| Volunteer and Students having a blast! |
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Client Success Story
Ms. Olivetta was referred to the 1000 in 1000 Program by the Jacksonville Housing Authority in
March of 2015. The very first reality check for her was "You spend more than you earn." She didn't believe it. Her Counselor Ms. Thompson went through her budget, item by
item. Once all the categories were completed, Ms. Thompson turned the computer screen around for her to visually see that she was not operating with a surplus but at a deficit. She was shocked and said, "No wonder it always seems like I never have enough money. The truth is that I don't." With the goal of homeownership, they knew that she had work to do.
Ms. Olivetta had never used a budget. She kept up with everything in her head. Her first order of business, after listing all her obligations, was to track her spending. She loved
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Ms. Olivetta speaking at the
Women's Giving Alliance Luncheon
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name brand purses and would buy two or three each month. She didn't realize how the shopping habit was impacting her negatively because she had never written anything down.
Seco
nd, we needed to review her credit. Her score when she started the program was 528. There were items that needed to be disputed but there were also items that she would need to addr
ess and pay off or settle.
She would normally splurge on a vacation or do more shopping when she received her tax return. After seeing her budget and credit report, she followed the suggestion from Ms. Thompson of paying down debt with her next tax return.
She also realized that she would need to save more money. She increased her part time hours at work to full time and went from earning $12,300 annually to more than $25,000 annually. With the increase in income, she could correct her budget and save money each month. She continued to work on her credit and before long, had a credit score of 650.
In December 2017, Ms. Olivetta purchased her first home. She is proud of herself and is thankful for the staff at Family Foundations for helping her achieve her goal.
At her appointment last month, Ms. Thompson showed Ms. Olivetta the very first action plan they
completed and each one after that. The first thing she noticed was that each time she completed a task or met a small goal, she set another one. She realized that breaking everything down into small chunks made the achievement seem easier.
Ms. Olivetta wants her youngest daughter to follow in her footsteps and understand that with hard work and discipline, anything can be achieved. Ms. Olivetta isn't stopping after achieving homeownership, she has enrolled in college and plans to complete her associates degree.
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Help VPK Students Learn to Save with Piggy Banks!
Family Foundations and The Early Learning Coalition are once again partners for the Seventh Year as part of the Jacksonville Wi$e Money Week to bring 1,500 Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten students in Jacksonville Kids Savings Kits.
Kids Savings Kits prepare young students for the importance of saving money. In addition to numerous activities in their kits, each student will receive a Piggy Bank to start their savings plan.
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Upcoming Classes
Homebuyer Education Class
Family Foundations Homebuyer Education Class is HUD approved and will teach prospective homebuyers how to prepare for homeownership, how to shop for a home, the mortgage process (from application to closing), how to maintain a home, and how to maintain a budget to avoid delinquency. Completion certificates will be given at the end of class.
For more information or to register for a class click below:
Wi$e Money Week Financial Literacy Classes
The week offers programs, classes and activities for all member of
our Jacksonville community,all ages and income levels, during the week of May 14-May 19th.
For a list of activities and classes please
click here.
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