Bellco Credit Union and Economic Literacy Colorado Celebrate Financial Literacy Month with New "FUNancial $marts" Educational Book for Middle Grade Students

Booklet Provides Tweens/Teens with the Basics of Managing Money

DENVER, April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Economic Literacy Colorado (EconLitCO) and Bellco Credit Union are celebrating Financial Literacy Month by launching a new "FUNancial $marts" educational activity book for students in grades 6-8 that teaches them the basics of managing money. The booklet is being distributed through Bellco branches, as well as through additional community partnerships.

"FUNancial $marts" for middle schoolers includes activities about real world money situations, making good choices about purchases, and ways to comparison shop. An electronic version is also available for download at this link.

"Developing short- and long-term financial habits and skills lead to greater financial well-being. And ensuring that young people in our community have the critical life skills they need to succeed is a top priority for Bellco," said John Rivera, senior vice president and chief retail officer at Bellco Credit Union. "We're proud to partner with Economic Literacy Colorado for the third year and support their efforts to equip teachers with the information and materials they need to bring financial empowerment to their classrooms." 

"Personal finance and fundamental economics are essential skills that every student will use throughout their life. We had great success with the K-5 "FUNancial $marts" activity book  and are excited for the new book geared toward middle school students," said Debbie Pierce, president and CEO of EconLitCO. "We encourage Coloradans to challenge themselves and their children by increasing awareness and education around economics and financial literacy, knowledge that is key to being successful members of our free enterprise system."

April was dubbed Financial Literacy Month in 2004 with hopes of raising public awareness of the significance of understanding personal finance and the consequences associated with little to no financial education. In 2019 Bellco teamed up EconLitCO to create "FUNancial $marts" for elementary students. The elementary activity book includes collaborative lessons of counting money, budgeting, and creating a business. With the help of a teacher, parent, or family member, FUNancial $marts can equip young people with knowledge to make informed decisions and prepare them to handle financial and economic challenges in their future. An electronic version of the K-5 book is also available for download on the Bellco website.

EconLitCO has several resources available including remote learning for parents and students, personal finance literacy, news and activities, and more. To access these resources and upcoming classes, visit ELC's website at econlitco.org.

Bellco is one of Colorado's largest financial institutions, with more than $6 billion in assets and 26 branches in Colorado. Founded in 1936, Bellco offers a full range of financial products and services including home equity loans, auto loans and checking accounts. Today, Bellco has more than 350,000 members who benefit from the advantages of a credit union, including lower interest rates on loans, higher yields on savings and access to thousands of ATMs nationwide. Connect with Bellco on Facebook and Twitter. Bellco is federally insured by NCUA and is an Equal Housing Lender.

Economic Literacy Colorado empowers Colorado students to achieve a lifetime of economic understanding and financial security by providing economic and personal financial education to teachers and their students through programs and university-accredited professional development. To learn more, please visit www.econlitco.org and follow Economic Literacy Colorado on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Media contact: Amy Moynihan
[email protected]

SOURCE Bellco