For Immediate Release
For More Information Contact:
Christopher Miller, Marketing Manager
Junior Achievement of South Florida
(954) 979-7110
[email protected]
FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAM TO HELP
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ACROSS BROWARD COUNTY
City of Coconut Creek, FL – On Saturday, July 11th Junior Achievement of South Florida (JASF) will be distributing backpacks from 10 am to 1 pm at JA World Huizenga Center at the Lillian S. Wells Pavilion, 1130 Coconut Creek Parkway in Coconut Creek. The backpacks will be filled with youth financial education materials, books, healthcare information, gift cards, snacks and other relevant items.
JASF has partnered with the Early Learning Coalition and other nonprofits who serve families in need to receive the backpacks. Farm Share, Inc. will be on site to provide fresh fruit to families registered to pick up backpacks
There has never been a more important time to stress the critical need for financial literacy than now. Since the day schools closed due to COVID-19, JASF provided free online resources to BCPS, teachers, students and parents so they had the tools to continue to educate our children on the importance of making informed financial decisions that can have a lasting impact.
Now that schools are closed for the summer, JASF stepped up once again and implemented an initiative to reach thousands of children with financial literacy education. Also, through a joint effort with community partners, the backpacks will include reading and health literacy information.
“In school, out of school and at home, learning never stops,” said Laurie Sallarulo, President & CEO of JASF, “That’s why JA has launched the Books, Bucks & Backpack initiative. The goal of this powerful movement is to financially educate children and families who need it most, so they may be empowered to have a more prosperous future. It is also to bring much needed awareness and importance around financial literacy as a cornerstone of education and a strategy for economic recovery.”
Books, Bucks and Backpacks partners currently include American Express, Hudson Family Foundation, Delta Air Lines, Community Care Plan, First Horizon Foundation, TD Bank, Kemet, Office Depot, Citrix, Rick Case Automotive, Health Foundation of South Florida, Ultimate Software, Truist Bank, Nova Southeastern University, PNC Bank, Bank of America, e-Builder, CrewFacilities.com, Dickinson-Wright, Broward College, Broward County, Broward County Public Schools, Early Learning Coalition of Broward County, JetBlue, GL Homes, Broward Health, Miami Book Fair, Chick-fil-A, Florida Panthers and numerous individual donors.
“There has never been a more important time to share financial literacy education. That is why American Express is supporting Junior Achievement’s Books, Bucks and Backpacks campaign. We want to help spread this knowledge to children and families,” said Franki Lupo Schmidt, Vice President and General Manager, American Express.
For more information on how others can support this campaign, visit www.JASouthFlorida.org/GivingToLiteracy, contact Robyn Harper at (954) 979-7124 or email [email protected].
About Junior Achievement of South Florida
Junior Achievement of South Florida (JA) inspires and prepares youth to succeed in a global economy. JA provides real-world training in financial literacy including budgeting, spending, investing and the use of credit; offers cutting-edge skill-building opportunities that enable young people to explore meaningful, productive careers; teaches students how to start businesses; and introduces entrepreneurial values that strengthen workplaces. Last year, with the help of over 7,100 trained corporate and community volunteers, JA delivered over 20 various programs to almost 50,000 students in classrooms throughout Broward and south Palm Beach counties and at JA World Huizenga Center at the Lillian S. Wells Pavilion, a first-class facility housing JA BizTown and JA Finance Park. For more information about Junior Achievement of South Florida, visit www.JASouthFlorida.org. Follow JA on social media @jasouthflorida.
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