Houston Money Week 2015 Impact Report

Houston Money Week
2015 Impact Report
H
ouston Money Week is a community-wide financial education initiative that empowers families and individuals to be
successful with their financial choices. HMW serves individuals, families, veterans and small business owners across the
greater Houston area, offering free financial education and raising awareness of available resources in the community. Each
year in April, HMW partners—businesses, financial institutions, schools, libraries, nonprofits, government agencies and media
outlets—come together to emphasize the importance of financial education, inform consumers where they can get assistance,
and provide free educational seminars and activities. Although the activities are open to all demographics and income levels,
historically HMW serves persons from primarily low and moderate income backgrounds.
With almost 200 events at schools, banks, places of worship and other community hubs, it would be impossible to tell the
story of every Houston Money Week program. Here is a 2015 snapshot of the impact that HMW partners are making in the
Houston community every year.
Educating
yThird Grade Reading Day
Houstonians
HMW’s K-12 Committee, in collaboration with Houston ISD,
sponsored a financial literacy-based “Third Grade Reading Day”
at eight HISD elementary schools. Employee volunteers from
Woodforest National Bank and Cadence Bank served as readers.
Each third-grade student received a book to take home, and each
school library received a set of financial literacy books with a
corresponding curriculum. Over 900 books were donated in all!
Middle School Students
Elementary Students
yBank Exploration Day
Texas Capital Bank hosted
a Bank Exploration Day for
Boy Scouts from Blackshear
Elementary. The Scouts
visited a bank branch and
learned about borrowing,
business banking, budgeting
responsibly, and how to
make a deposit and cash a
check. The boys had a great
time and left with HMW
piggy banks!
yPershing Middle School
Over 100 Pershing Middle School students
successfully completed all modules of Everfi’s
financial literacy online learning platform. The
14-lesson program, sponsored by RockIt!, teaches
students financial literacy as they manage a rock
band. Students who complete the program receive
a “certified in financial literacy” designation on their
school transcript. RockIt! is a partnership between
The Harris Foundation, Capital One Bank, Everfi,
GameTruck, the Federal Reserve Bank – Houston
Branch and Houston ISD.
4
yHMW Student Essay Contest
HMW partner Capital One Bank sponsored a student essay contest, asking students in grades
6-12 to answer two questions: “What are the benefits of saving and budgeting? How would you
utilize financial education to improve your future?” One middle school and three high school
students were awarded college scholarships.
yHMW Art Contest: Smarter Texans Save
The Texas Council on Economic Education sponsored an
art contest addressing the theme, “Smarter Texans Save,”
for K-12 students at Houston area schools.The top three
winners for each grade band (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12) received
scholarships. The contest was held in conjunction with a
financial symposium at the University of Houston.
High School Students
y100 Teens
Led by volunteers from Regions Bank, Frost Bank and the
Federal Reserve Bank – Houston Branch, Houston-area high
school seniors learned how to budget and make responsible
financial decisions at HMW’s annual “100 Teens” event. For
the third year in a row, professional football player Danieal
Manning spoke to the students about good financial habits
and the benefits of financial education and planning.
‘‘
I enjoyed
seeing the
enthusiasm on
the faces of
the students. It
was incredibly
rewarding to know
that we made a
positive impact on
their lives, especially
at such a young age.
It’s really never too
early for students
to start learning
the financial skills
that will set them
on the path to
success.”
Cy Clark,
Cadence Bank
yEDUCATION PARTNERS
Aldine Independent School District
Alief Independent School District
Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District
Fort Bend Independent School District
Harris County Public Library
Houston Community College
Houston Independent School District
Houston Public Library
Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas
Katy Independent School District
College Students
Klein Independent School District
Lone Star College
Prairie View A&M University
Sam Houston State University
yBusiness Financial Symposium
San Jacinto College
The University of Houston’s C.T. Bauer College of Business hosted a
financial symposium for students and community members. Participants
learned about options to pay for higher education, money management
and aligning career choices with lifestyle goals.
Stafford Municipal School District
Texas Council on Economic Education
Texas Southern University
University of Houston
University of Houston - Downtown
yOwn It and Move Forward
In 2015, Sam Houston State University
hosted its eighth annual financial literacy
week. The event featured guest speakers and
presentations about managing money, creative
ways to save money, debt and credit, and how
to become financially secure.
yFinancial Literacy Fairs
Four campuses of Houston Community College hosted Financial Literacy
Fairs during HMW. The fairs promoted financial literacy while raising
awareness about local non-profit organizations in the HCC NortheastNorthline area. Students had
the opportunity to win gift
cards or receive piggy banks and
other prizes by participating in
a quiz or simply staying for the
duration of the event to receive
a few extra credit points!
Young Professionals
yKnow Your Money
The Houston Area Urban League Young Professionals
hosted a workshop on investment options, money
management and aligning career choices with lifestyle
goals. The event featured a panel discussion led by
experienced investors and certified financial planners,
who discussed investment strategies, budgeting tips,
and debt reduction.
Providing
yDimes Into Dollars
Resources
HMW’s Adult Education Committee hosted its first
community event, “Dimes Into Dollars.” Attendees
gained financial literacy by playing fun games. The event
also featured a mini job fair and United Way THRIVE
agencies.
‘‘
Houston Money Week 2015 was the most exciting year for me yet! I was given the
opportunity to work with some great individuals to create Dimes Into Dollars, the first community
event hosted by the Adult Education Committee. It was great working with committed and focused
individuals on a new venture, and I look forward to working with them next year!”
Lucretia Jelks,Wesley Community Center
12,461
Houstonians were
served in 2015!
yFinancial Fitness Club
The WorkFaith Connection and Post Oak
Bank sponsored a lunch-and-learn event
with presentations on “understanding your
money” and credit repair and budgeting.
Post Oak Bank offered signups for financial
coaching at a future WorkFaith event.
Serving the
Community
T
he 2015 campaign extended HMW’s reach into
Spanish-speaking communities, expanding its
partnership with Spanish-language media outlets,
the Houston Hispanic Forum, the Houston Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce and the Mexican Consulate.
HMW partners participated in four radio interviews,
one television interview, and one newspaper article
conducted in Spanish generating over 1.2 million touches.
ySemana de Educación Financiera Kickoff
Houston’s incoming consul general of Mexico, Oscar
Rodriguez Cabrera, made his first official appearance at
a kickoff event for the Mexican consulate’s fourth annual
Financial Literacy Week. The initiative educates Spanishspeaking Houstonians
about finances through
information fairs and
workshops.
Spanish Speakers
yHUD-Certified Homebuyer Education Class
Avenue Community Development Corporation taught
potential homebuyers a step-by-step approach to
purchasing and maintaining a home.Topics included aid
programs to help finance the purchase, the importance
of credit, titles, inspections, appraisals and insurance.
yNetworking & Business Development Luncheons
As part of its ongoing series of Networking & Business
Development Luncheons, the Houston Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce joined forces with HMW to focus two luncheons
on higher education and financial education partnerships. Each
event featured a panel discussion moderated by Chamber
President Dr. Laura Murillo.
Small Business Owners
yGOVERNMENT PARTNERS
Bank on Houston
City of Houston
Consulate General of Mexico in Houston
FDIC
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas – Houston Branch
Houston Center for Literacy
Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County
Office of City Controller Ronald C. Green
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)
yStop in the Name of Business
LiftFund (formerly Accion Texas) hosted a workshop for small
business owners on the legal aspects of running a business. It
provided comprehensive information on copyrights, trademarks,
securing a business name, functionality and protections of different
entity abilities. Participants also learned about credit reports and
understanding good credit.
Office of Veterans Affairs
Texas Department of Banking
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
U.S. Small Business Administration
‘‘
The HMW 2015 campaign was a successful, educational and thoroughly enjoyable experience.
I had the privilege to work with amazing and enthusiastic HMW partners.Working with partners
who are passionate about financial literacy is a rewarding feeling all in itself. Being part of HMW and
providing the community with free financial education is definitely worth the effort, time and sacrifice.”
Rodolfo Cavazos, Houston Money Week Consultant
Veterans
yWomen Veterans Employer Symposium
Catholic Charities, Grace After Fire and
The Career Image hosted a symposium for
employers who hire veterans. Participants
learned tips on recruiting, retaining and
reemploying retired military personnel. The
program aims to help veterans bridge the
gap between military and corporate careers.
yBanker Day Breakfast
Local Houston bank executives attended a Banker Day Breakfast
co-hosted by Lemonade Day Houston and BBVA Compass Bank.
Lemonade Day provides children with the opportunity to learn how
to apply entrepreneurial thinking to the workplace and creates the
foundation for future success in the global economy.
Outreach Events
yBen on the Train
Two “Ben Franklins” rode METRORail
trains along with METRO repesentatives
and police officers. They began at 1900
Main and rode the entire length of the
outbound and inbound routes. The Bens
posed for photos and promoted awareness
of Houston Money Week among the train
riders.
yCOMMUNITY PARTNERS
National Faith Home Buyers
Career and Recovery Resources
Neighborhood Centers Inc.
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of GalvestonHouston
New Hope Housing Inc.
Change Happens!
Memorial Assistance Ministries
Children’s Books on Wheels
Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Credit Coalition
MyEcon
Credit Recovery Group, Inc.
Red and Black
D. Samuels & Associates, L.L.C.
SER Jobs for Progress - Financial Opportunity Center
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
State Farm Insurance
East Side University Village Community Learning Center
The Fountain of Praise
Easter Seals Greater Houston
The Harris Foundation
Family Houston
The Mosaic Group
God’s Money God’s Way
The Pearl Group Consulting
Goodwill Industries of Houston
The Society for Financial Awareness
Greater Houston Black Chamber
The Women’s Resource of Greater Houston
Gulf Coast Community Services Association
The WorkFaith Connection
Horizon Outreach
Torch Energy Solutions
Houston Area Urban League
United Way Care for Elders
Houston Area Urban League - Young Professionals
United Way of Greater Houston - THRIVE
Houston CARES Mentoring Movement
University of Houston Small Business Development Center
Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Wesley Community Center
Houston Hispanic Forum
West Houston Assistance Ministries, Inc.
Lemonade Day Houston
WBEA Texas
Literacy Advance of Houston
World Youth Foundation
LISC Greater Houston
YMCA Aldine-Greenspoint
Northwest Assistance Ministries
yCareer and Education Day
The Houston Hispanic Forum, which
focuses on empowering and inspiring
the success of the fast-growing Hispanic
community in the greater Houston
area, hosted its 29th annual Career and
Education Day. Thousands of students
from across the greater Houston area
attended the event to learn about posthigh school opportunities.
Getting the
A
Word Out
ctivities were marketed through the HoustonMoneyWeek.org website
as well as a variety of other methods, including social media campaigns
on Facebook and Twitter. HMW’s mascot, Ben Franklin, was brought to life by
four community partners: Bill Pitre, Star Realty; Ever Ramirez, Edward Jones
Investments; Daniel Scholl, Family Services of Greater Houston; and Reggie
Williams, Houston CARES Mentoring Movement. Each “Ben Franklin” dressed
in full costume to meet and greet attendees at local events. HMW partners
displayed posters and distributed flyers, postcards, piggy banks and wristbands.
Outreach activities included hosting vendor booths and workshops at events
such as the Houston Children’s Festival and the Houston Hispanic Forum’s
Career and Education Day. The Children’s Festival estimates 50,000 people
attend their 2-day festival every year.
‘‘
I had a great time dressing up as Benjamin Franklin. I was able to share what Houston Money
Week is about in a fun and exciting way with people. Two of the most rewarding experiences were
at the Children’s Festival and the TCEE Awards Dinner at the University of Houston.”
Ever Ramirez, Edward Jones Investments
T
yFINANCIAL SERVICES PARTNERS
Allegiance Bank
Alliance Financial Ministries
Avenue Community Development Corporation
Bank of America
Bank of River Oaks
BBVA Compass Bank
Cadence Bank
Capital Bank
Capital One Bank
Central Bank
Comerica Bank
Edward Jones Investments
Frost Bank
Green Bank
LiftFund
MidSouth Bank
Money Management International
PeopleFund
People’s Trust Federal Credit Union
Post Oak Bank
Primerica Financial Services
Prudential Financial Services
Regions Bank
Spirit of Texas Bank
Texas Capital Bank
Third Coast Bank
Wells Fargo
Woodforest National Bank
hrough its advertising and public outreach campaign, HMW made
Houstonians aware of the many financial education activities
and events available. Media coverage included features on “Great Day
Houston” with Deborah Duncan, Univision and Comcast, as well as
local radio stations KMJQ Majic 102.1 FM and KPFT 90.1 FM. HMW
partners from East Side University Village CLC, Frost Bank, Comerica
Bank, Regions Bank and the Federal Reserve Bank – Houston Branch
gave radio, TV and webcast interviews. Blog articles were featured in
the newsletters of PeopleFund and the Office of the Comptroller of
the Currency.
4
In 2015,
HMW had over
television interviews
touches through
media outlets!
radio interviews
4 Million
‘‘
Working with
Houston Money Week
is both rewarding and
inspirational. HMW’s
goals and objectives
align well with Capital
Bank’s community
service and financial
literacy initiatives,
which makes for a great
partnership.”
Amy Krell,
Capital Bank
11
503
Twitter followers
620
Facebook followers
120
HMW partners
198
events
Congratulations to the 2015 Outstanding Media Partner!
Univision Communications. Univision’s Houston affiliates brought HMW 2015 to the
attention of thousands of local Latino viewers and listeners. TV station Univision 45
Houston extended invitations to HMW events through its local Sunday edition of
“Contigo en la Comunidad.” Univision radio partners also helped get the word out.
Especially beneficial was a live radio remote at HMW’s “Dimes into Dollars” event,
which drew a large number of Latino participants.Thanks to Univision’s commitment,
HMW nearly tripled its visibility among Spanish-speaking Houstonians!
“
In the years that I have been a part of the Houston Money Week initiative, I have seen
nonprofits, companies and even the mayor working together to bring financial literacy to
Houstonians. We have done a lot in a very short amount of time. I can’t help but think that the
things that we get right here can be reproduced in other cities across the U.S.”
Christopher Hensley, The Society for Financial Awareness – Houston
Staying
Connected
yMEDIA PARTNERS
CBS Radio Houston
Mi Comunidad
Comcast Cable Corporation
Comcast Newsmakers
Houston Chronicle
Houston Community College (HCC-TV)
Making Cent$ of Banking
KHOU Channel 11
Great Day Houston
Christopher Hensley, host of “Money Matters” on KPFT 90.1 FM,
interviewed several HMW partners on various financial education topics.
KPFT 90.1 FM
Money Matters
Radio One Texas
KBXX 97.9 FM
KROI 92.1 FM
KMJQ 102.1 FM
Univision Radio
106.5 FM
La Voz del Pueblo
Univision & Telefutura TV
Nuestra Vida
‘‘
The 2015 HMW experience was humbly rewarding. As a partner since 2010, God’s Money
God’s Way Ministries was honored to successfully host 3 financial literacy events impacting over 400
attendees. We are so honored to be a part of a citywide initative that is focused on empowerment
for Houstonians age 0 to 99 and we are looking forward to increasing our impact next year. ” Ebony Thomas, God’s Money God’s Way Ministries
T
he content and location of HMW events reached every major demographic. Females
represented more than 65% of attendees, consistent with previous years. Programs at
schools and universities reached 25% of survey participants in the 18–24 age group. Events
focused on housing, family and small business drew attendees from all adult age groups.
Attendee
Household
Income
Profile
49%
HMW saw a 49% increase
in attendance over last year!
The 2015 campaign ended
with 12,461 total event
attendees.
Ethnicity
Education
Attendees at a glance
More than 1,300 people (11% of all 2015
HMW participants) filled out surveys at
events. These graphs are based on the
survey results. Surveys are conducted by
HMW partners for basic measurement
purposes only.
Data Snapshot
35%
of Montgomery County
households have a subprime credit
score of less than 660.
33%
20%
of Harris County households lack
sufficient net worth to live at the
poverty level for three months.
of Fort Bend County households
are underbanked—they have a
checking and/or savings
account but still use alternative
financial services.
21%
of Brazoria County households
are underbanked—they have
a checking and/or savings
account but still use alternative
financial services.
F
or seven years now, Houston
Money Week partners have
joined forces to bring attention to
the financial education and asset
building needs of the Houston
region. Each year brings new signs
of the positive impact their efforts
are having,
One of the greatest testaments
to the success of HMW efforts
occurred in January 2015, when
the Corporation for Enterprise
Development (CFED) released
its first-ever Family Assets Count
report focusing specifically on
Houston.The report underscores
the critical need for finanical
education in the region.
A key finding from the CFED
report is that 20 percent of
Houston households live in
poverty and 52 percent are
financially vulnerable. Those
“liquid asset poor” households
do not have enough savings to
live above the poverty line for
even three months if they lose a
job, face a medical crisis or suffer
another income disruption.
Helping households like these
gain better financial footing is
what HMW is all about.
Data snapshot drawn from the CFED
Family Asset Count (January 2015) and
the Assets & Opportunity Local Data
Center.
S
Join the Effort
April 9-16, 2016
ince its inception in 2008, Houston Money Week has grown tremendously, bringing financial education to an ever-wider
audience through an expanding variety of platforms and events.The key to HMW’s success is the participation and
support of its community partners. Starting with 37 partners in 2008, HMW drew the support of 120 partners in 2015, and
it welcomes new community partners each year.
Each HMW partner actively contributes at least one of the following:
yEducational materials, instructors or seminars for consumers
yFacilities to host events, sponsor events or provide promotional materials
ySponsorship in-kind activities
yLeveraging resources to publicly support and endorse HMW
To learn more about HMW and how your organization can be a part of this initiative
in the greater Houston area, email [email protected].
“
HMW 2015
had
120
partner
organizations!
Participating in any Houston Money Week event is pure fun. The synergy and creativity that
comes from our desire to teach people better ways to handle their financial lives is priceless. I look
forward to working again with the Adult Education Committee because that team ROCKS!”
Joseph Bowman III, Easter Seals Greater Houston
Our 2015
Contributors
yGOLD LEVEL
yBRONZE LEVEL
yFRIEND LEVEL
BBVA Compass Bank
Allegiance Bank
Central Bank
Capital One Bank
Bank of America
PeopleFund
Comerica Bank
Bank of River Oaks
Frost Bank
Capital Bank
yIN KIND
Regions Bank
MidSouth Bank
Regions Bank
Texas Capital Bank
People’s Trust Federal Credit
Union
Woodforest National Bank
ySILVER LEVEL
Wells Fargo
Woodforest National Bank
Post Oak Bank
Spirit of Texas Bank
Money Management International, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, serves as
the fiscal agent for Houston Money Week.
Houston Money Week recognizes with great appreciation all who have supported the initiative
during the 2015 campaign. We honor our donors for their commitment and loyalty to HMW,
and we celebrate the partnerships we have fostered along the way.
Congratulations to the 2015 Outstanding Service Award Winners!
2-1-1 Texas
United Way
HELPLINE
Rodolfo
Cavazos
Christopher
Hensley
Ever
Ramirez
Ebony
Thomas
Houston
The Society
Edward Jones
God’s Money
Money Week
for Financial
Investments
God’s Way
Consultant
Awareness
Congratulations to the 2015 Stellar Awards Winners!
Joseph Bowman, Easter Seals Greater Houston. Since 2008, Joseph has been a
dedicated participant with Houston Money Week. This year, he directed his efforts
toward the “Dimes into Dollars” event. He is a faithful attendee at partner meetings,
and his “can do” spirit encourages others to step up their efforts.
Deborah Duncan, host of “Great Day Houston” (KHOU Channel 11). For the past
three years, Deborah has faithfully advocated for Houston Money Week by using
her prime time morning TV show to help create awareness and promote financial
education for the Houston area. Her support using her media platform is invaluable
and provides heightened visibility for HMW.
Lucretia Jelks, Wesley Community Center. Lucretia demonstrated outstanding
management and leadership skills as she led HMW’s Adult Education Committee
to successfully complete the first “Dimes into Dollars” event at the Neighborhood
Centers-Ripley House. She has been a consistent participant at HMW partner
meetings.
Amy Krell, Capital Bank. Amy immediately engaged with Houston Money Week,
looking for ways to help promote its mission. She created a volunteer initiative
within Capital Bank that brought nine volunteers to help with HMW’s booth at the
Houston Children’s Festival. Amy and her team were well organized in staffing the
different stations and provided a real helping hand!
William “Bill” Pitre, Star Realty. Bill has completed his third year serving as a
“Ben Franklin” for HMW. His commitment is demonstrated by his willingness to
volunteer for virtually all event requests that come his way. Bill’s easygoing demeanor
encourages audiences to mingle and take photos with “Ben Franklin,” building a
personal connection with Houston Money Week.
www.HoustonMoneyWeek.org