Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise (CNE), a local nonprofit housing organization, will host the inaugural Money School event on Saturday, March 21 from 9 a.m.
until 4 p.m. at the downtown Chattanooga Convention Center. Money School is a free financial education opportunity open to the public. The event will include speakers and exhibitors providing hands-on learning opportunities regarding money management, debt elimination, increased savings, as well as retirement and estate planning.
“CNE believes that strong, stable neighborhoods are built on strong, stable families and individuals. Money management skills and financial knowledge play an integral role in creating this kind of family stability,” said Martina Guilfoil, President and CEO of Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise. “Our goal with Money School is to provide the necessary tools and resources for Chattanoogans to feel empowered with their finances and to adequately prepare for their future.”
Money School will be kicked off with a welcome from Mayor Andy Berke, and the day will be focused on four crucial financial areas, offering a diverse range of related workshops. The workshops will be grouped into the following areas: 1) Making Informed Financial Choices, 2) Financing Your Future, 3) Managing Financial Products and 4) Money Skills for Teens & Tweens. These workshops will be led by experts in the field. There will also be six panel discussions specifically targeted to financial issues facing baby boomers, gen Xers, millennials, philanthropists, homeowners, and entrepreneurs. Attendees may register in advance to obtain free tax preparation, credit report analysis, mortgage assessments and one-on-one personal finance advice.
“Research shows that three-fourths of American families say they live paycheck to paycheck - while more than one-fourth of American families have no savings at all,” said Jennifer Holder, Communications and Special Projects Manager for Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise.
“In order to understand money, you must understand how to manage it, know how it works in real-world applications and how you can use it as a tool to help others, in addition to growing your own stability and security. We believe that Money School will help the public gain confidence with their financial decisions moving forward,” she continued.
In addition to CNE, local organizations participating in the day include Junior Achievement, Partnership FCA’s Consumer Credit Counseling Service, Urban League of Greater Chattanooga, University of Tennessee Extension, Tennessee Saves, SCORE, LAUNCH, Public Education Foundation, Common Cents Financial Literacy, Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation, UTC Wellness Center, DRW Financial, Pierce Law Firm, Morgan Stanley, Senior Care Advisors, Fuerst Financial and more. Sponsors include Lyndhurst Foundation, Brewer Media, Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, Volkswagen Chattanooga, Cornerstone Community Bank, Grant, Konvalinka & Harrison, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, CapitalMark Bank, EPB Fiber Optics, Henderson, Hutcherson & McCullough, Chattanooga Times Free Press, WRCB-TV, Hutchinson and Walls, CPAs, BB&T Bank, First Title Insurance Agency, and Cohutta Banking Company, a division of Synovus Bank, and BB&T Bank.