One teacher and one community group receive $1,000 grant to use toward financial education
ST. PAUL, MN (June 3, 2013) The Affinity Plus Foundation is honored to present the first two recipients of its Financial Literacy Cultivator Grant to Joe Ludens, a teacher at Lino Lakes Juvenile Center, and Lakes and Prairies Community Action Partnership. The grant will provide both Ludens and the Lakes and Prairies Community Action Partnership with $1,000 to use for financial literacy education, and materials or supplies related to financial literacy education.
The Financial Literacy Cultivator Grant was created by the Affinity Plus Foundation to help improve the lives of people in Minnesota through financial literacy education, and to bring awareness to Financial Literacy Month in April. Those who applied for the grant had to meet the eligibility requirements, and provide thoughtful answers to the following questions:
- Why is financial education important?
- Why is this teacher, school, or community group deserving of this grant? Please provide stories and examples.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better initial response regarding our applicants for the Cultivator Grant both in quality and quantity,” states Dave Larson, Executive Director of the Affinity Plus Foundation. “There is no better way to support and promote financial education in our state than by recognizing and awarding people and organizations who make a difference in people’s lives by giving them the opportunity to receive a financial education.”
Here is a brief description of the two winners:
- Joe Ludens, Teacher, Lino Lakes Juvenile Center
Mr. Ludens is a math teacher at a school within the Lino Lakes Juvenile Center that teaches life skills as well as academics to students prior to release. Financial literacy is a crucial piece of a core math unit he teaches and is most likely the only financial education the individuals will receive prior to transitioning into mainstream society. Mr. Ludens has a direct impact on the lives of these youth and their futures on very limited resources. Our grant will enable him to establish a true curriculum for his students and also provide further resources for the school on this topic.
- Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership
The Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership has provided financial literacy training for the past 10 years in the Moorhead area to low-income households. They have an established program, free of charge, reaching a target group with much-needed information on a very limited budget. Our dollars will go directly towards updating and expanding curriculum and reach over 120 households at or near poverty in the Moorhead area.
The Affinity Plus Foundation will begin accepting applications for the 2014 Financial Literacy Cultivator Grant in April 2014 in honor of Financial Literacy Month.
For more information about the Affinity Plus Foundation visit https://www.affinityplus.org/foundation.
About Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union
Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit cooperative that puts people first above profits. We are committed to empowering consumers – for knowledge, for understanding and to know there are alternatives that focus on the success of people, not the bottom line. Members of Affinity Plus receive maximum value through competitive rates, minimal fees, and unique, member –centric products and programs. Affinity Plus is the largest credit union in Minnesota with state-based assets and has 26 branches located throughout the state. With more than $1.6 billion in assets, Affinity Plus is based in St. Paul and is owned by more than 160,000 members. Through a broad range of eligibility criteria, almost anyone can become a member of Affinity Plus. Additional information is available at www.affinityplus.org or by calling 800-322-7228.