JACKSON, MI (September 25, 2024) |
TRUE Community Credit Union was excited to partner with Grow Jackson and their Urban Agriculture Intern Workforce Development Program this summer. TRUECCU provided financial literacy pieces to accompany the Roots of Success Curriculum, a ten-module program that the interns must complete.
“Our TRUE team members, Sarah Fuller, Financial Education Coordinator, and Juarie Jordan, Member Advisor, were excited to invest in these young adults by providing education and coaching to assist them in developing life-long money management skills,” said TRUECCU Financial Education Manager Kelly Hatler. “Our partnership with Grow Jackson has been a great opportunity to support the needs of our community and cultivate legacy-defining moments for the interns as they set goals and navigate decisions regarding their career path and financial future.”
The TRUE team members provided four financial education lessons for the interns that included goal setting, budgeting, credit, and loan fundamentals; and provided additional information and resources TRUE offers. The Grow Jackson interns also received four one-on-one coaching sessions to help guide them toward a $1,000 savings goal. Those who were able to reach the goal at the end of the internship received a $1,000 match from TRUE.
“Having this incredible support from TRUE Community Credit Union made an overwhelming difference for our program,” said Grow Jackson Founder and Executive Director Jacob Inosencio. “Many of the interns in the program this summer had a job and an income for the first time. Getting exposure to these formative financial literacy education opportunities made a tremendous impact on their habits and their future decisions. This was truly a defining moment in their lives and we are so grateful to TRUE for their investment in the future of our intern team.”
Grow Jackson is a 501©3 nonprofit that empowers the community through fresh food, education, and community gardens. Urban Agriculture Intern Workforce Development Program interns are recent high school graduates who will complete the Department of Labor certified Roots of Success Curriculum to earn a Pre-Apprenticeship in Environmental Literacy, which exposes the interns to local STEM job opportunities. Aside from basic labor in the garden, the inters provide education to younger students and individuals in other community programs, as well as delivery of fresh produce grown in local community gardens to food insecure members throughout the community. The interns were employed through Michigan Works! Southeast.
Visit www.TRUECCU.com to learn more about us, our products, and our services. To learn more about Grow Jackson, visit www.GrowJackson.org.