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Volunteer efforts with Junior Achievement have impacted more than 2,500 students across the Bay Area.  

Junior Achievement Days at elementary schools or trips to BizTown—a simulated town where students can operate businesses and vote in local elections—offer a fun and interactive way for young students to get real-world experience managing money. Many students wouldn’t otherwise have access to these key life skills through school curriculum or at home, where money is too often a taboo subject. 

That’s why when the COVID-19 pandemic closed classrooms and many families faced financial hardship, continued to call on volunteers to ensure schools across the Bay Area had access to virtual volunteers and financial education programming at such a critical time.

“During the pandemic, we knew that many households were struggling financially. Young people in those homes were feeling this along with their parents,” said Chris Moulton, ��ɫ����Ƶ business banking sales manager and Junior Achievement Northern California board member, who helped organize volunteers from across the Bay Area with help from his team and colleagues. “This felt like a particularly important time to continue to reach students with these important financial life skills that can help shape their future.”

Junior Achievement of Northern California this year recognized the volunteer commitment of ��ɫ����Ƶ, naming the company to the Junior Achievement of Northern California’s Business Hall of Fame and their Financial Literacy Partner of the Year for 2022. In addition to providing regular virtual volunteers during the pandemic, over the last five years ��ɫ����Ƶ volunteers have reached more than 2,500 students across the Bay Area with financial education training. 

“Anytime I reached out for volunteers, ��ɫ����Ƶ was the first one to raise their hands,” said Ruby Damian, senior director of programs and events with Junior Achievement of Northern California. “��ɫ����Ƶ has demonstrated time after time that they believe in our mission to support our youth and inspire and prepare them for a global economy. They are a true partner in our mission.”

Beyond Northern California, ��ɫ����Ƶ has partnered with Junior Achievement across the country for more than 30 years providing volunteers and financial literacy training for K-12 students, and more than $12 million in grant funding. In the last 10 years alone, ��ɫ����Ƶ has volunteered more than 42,000 hours of service to Junior Achievement chapters throughout the U.S. 

This regional partnership is just one example of how ��ɫ����Ƶ has a longstanding commitment to supporting communities by empowering individuals and businesses. Last year, roughly 1.5 million individuals were served with financial education through philanthropy and ��ɫ����Ƶ employee volunteerism, with a focus on diverse and underserved communities. Through free financial education like its Financial IQ website, regular webinars and newsletters, ��ɫ����Ƶ provides resources to help build smart financial habits through understanding savings vs. investing, credit, debt, elder fraud, homeownership, college prep, job planning, and more.

��ɫ����Ƶ is also incorporating financial education programming into major corporate partnerships, including the multiyear agreement with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) announced earlier this year. As an official WNBA Changemaker, ��ɫ����Ƶ will provide players and alumni access to financial resources and will create programs to increase financial education across the country. A cornerstone of the relationship will be the creation of a new league-wide financial wellness program, where ��ɫ����Ƶ will implement benefits and resources that include access to advisors for all WNBA players so they can create a game plan for their financial futures.  

Watch the video below to learn more about how we’re partnering with organizations, like Junior Achievement, to empower financial well-being in our communities. For more information on Junior Achievement of Northern California, visit norcal.ja.org. For more information on ��ɫ����Ƶ financial education and resources, visit the ��ɫ����Ƶ Financial IQ website.