Page 20 - BusinessWest May 12, 2025

Jodie Gerulaitis says the financial-literacy skills students
develop now will benefit them later, no matter what college
or career path they choose.
classroom-style, six-session financial-education series.”
Serving about 450 people at any given time through its youth
programs, human-service agencies, and workplaces, Thrive impacts
families in ways that can be generational, she noted.
“It’s so very important — if you don’t understand how to take
care of yourself from a financial perspective, how can you become
successful?”
For this issue’s focus on banking
and finance, BusinessWest talks to
several area professionals involved
in financial-literacy efforts about
those impacts, and the various forms
these programs take.
Lifetime Financial
Journey
Springfield Partners for Commu-
nity Action is another local organiza-
tion offering financial-literacy edu-
cation through a series of different
free workshops, from basic financial
literacy to first-time homebuying and
property management.
“They all consist of a little bit of
financial literacy. We dive deep into
budgeting, credit, debt management,
banking, and investing,” said Gabriel
Ortiz, a housing councilor at Spring-
field Partners, noting that the work-
shops average around 28 people
each. Some are one-session workshops that run six to eight hours,
often featuring speakers from the banking and financial-services
world, while the first-time homebuyer workshop is a two-part series.
“We have a lot of professionals that have been in that industry
for a lot of years, and they give their expert analysis of what the pro-
cess is and how to get people where they need to go, watching out
for predatory lending, things like that.”
Meanwhile, the basic financial-literacy session is a good idea
for people looking to establish some credit and start saving for the
future, Ortiz added.
“In Springfield, probably one out of four residents live in pov-
erty. Springfield has seen inflation, and potential tariffs will make it
harder for households to manage their budgets. As a local financial
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20 MAY 12, 2025
<< BANKING & FINANCE >>
“In Springfield,
probably one out
of four residents
live in poverty.
Springfield has
seen inflation,
and potential
tariffs will make
it harder for
households to
manage their
budgets. As a
local financial
advisor, we’re
trying to give
some helpful tips
and help people
regain control of
their finances,
stick to a budget,
and cope with
today’s economic
challenges.”
Business W est