INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Jonna Barham, client service specialist for Charles Schwab & Co. on Ocean Drive, presented Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian River County executive director Elizabeth Thomason with a check for $5,000, which will be used to implement the Money Matters program at the Fellsmere and Sebastian Clubs.
Money Matters, which promotes financial responsibility and independence among Club members ages 13 to 18 is also offered at the Vero Beach Club. The program was developed in a joint collaboration between Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the Charles Schwab Foundation.
Participants learn how to manage a checking account, budget, save, and invest, as well as learn about starting small businesses and paying for college. The Money Matters program is comprised of a core curriculum consisting of five units: Budgeting and Living within Your Means, Saving and Investing, Planning for College, Credit and Debt, and Entrepreneurship.
Money Matters provides teens with real-world information that will help them avoid some of the pitfalls that have plagued many adults today. Establishing wise spending habits now will help to create a generation of fiscally responsible adults.
“Poor financial choices can have a long-lasting, negative effect on one’s financial future; we have a responsibility as youth-development professionals to teach sound fiscal management to our young people,” said Thomason.
Each year, more than 2,000 boys and girls at risk and in need are taking advantage of the programs, activities and services provided by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian River County. They benefit from trained, caring, professional staff and volunteers who help young people take control of their lives, envision productive futures and reach their goals. The three clubhouses in Indian River County are located in Fellsmere, Sebastian, and Vero Beach.
For more information about the clubs call (772) 299-7449 or visit www.BGCIRC.org.
