Fort Walton Beach, Fla. – Eglin Federal Credit Union partnered with Okaloosa Saves and six financial institutions for the annual Teach Children to Save campaign April 1 – June 30. Youth, 17 and younger, were encouraged to set a savings goal and make a deposit into their savings account. Their names were entered into a random drawing for 10 children to win a $50 deposit into their savings account from Okaloosa Saves. Winners were invited for recognition prior to the Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners budget meeting on Tuesday, July 21 where they received certificates.
This year, 189 youths from Eglin FCU, Renasant Bank, CCB Bank, Midsouth Bank, Teachers Federal Credit Union, PenFed and United Fidelity under the age of 18 participated in the Okaloosa Saves Teach Children to Save campaign, with deposits totaling $42,337.39. Since the program began in 2004, 2,686 children have made deposits totaling $463,005.73.
The 10 winners were:
Cali Branson, Fort Walton Beach
Kate Kennedy, Niceville
Titus Kidder, Crestview
Khai Mays, Crestview
Alice Morton, Mary Esther
David Nelson, Valparaiso
Liam Law, Crestview
Marin Lee, Shalimar
Sofia Simeonova, Fort Walton Beach
Liam Walbert, Crestview
“Financial literacy is one of the most important life skills we can offer our children, and Okaloosa Saves, Teach Children to Save has been making a meaningful impact in our community for years,” said Okaloosa County Board Chairman Trey Goodwin. “By helping children understand the value of saving, budgeting, and making informed financial decisions, this program is building a strong foundation for future success. We are grateful for the commitment of everyone involved in equipping our young people with the financial knowledge and skills they need to thrive as adults.”
“There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing students gain an early understanding of the value of saving and responsible money management,” said Eglin Federal Credit Union President and CEO Cathie Staton. “Through our longstanding partnership with Okaloosa Saves, we’ve helped thousands of children build a foundation for financial success. We are proud to continue investing in financial education and inspiring the next generation to make informed financial choices throughout their lives.”
Sherry Harlow, APR, who serves as treasurer on the Okaloosa Saves board said, “After serving on the Okaloosa Saves board for 23 years, I’m continually inspired by the impact of Teach Children to Save. This year alone, 189 young savers deposited more than $42,000—one of the program’s strongest years in more than a decade. Combined with the more than $463,000 saved by participants since 2004, these results demonstrate the lasting value of teaching financial literacy early and empowering children to build healthy financial habits that can last a lifetime.”
Savings Tips for Parents:
- Talk about the importance of budgeting and saving money
- Visit your local Eglin FCU branch to open a savings account or deposit into an existing account
- Teach the basics of investing
- Encourage them to be entrepreneurs
- Be a role model
For additional information, visit Okaloosa Saves on Facebook or Okaloosa Saves.
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Eglin Federal Credit Union was chartered in 1954 and is a not-for-profit, member-owned financial institution, federally regulated by the National Credit Union Administration. Membership includes military (active, retired, reserves and veterans), civil service and US Government affiliations on Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field, Duke Field, Camp Rudder and 7th Special Forces Group. Membership includes anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school within our Geographic Field of Membership and anyone who is related to or lives with an Eglin FCU member. Membership also includes over 1,000 Select Employee Groupsin Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton, Escambia, FL counties and Escambia County, AL.
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