Alliant Credit Union and BPW Foundation to Offer Financial Literacy Program for Women Veterans

06/04/2013

Alliant Credit Union and Business and Professional Women’s (BPW) Foundation are partnering to offer free financial education, employment counseling and related services to U.S. women veterans and military spouses, announced Alliant’s President & CEO David Mooney. “This new Financial Literacy Support Program is designed to promote and facilitate economic stability and prosperity,” he added.

The Financial Literacy Support Program will be available to members of BPW Foundation’s Joining Forces Mentoring Plus®, an online employment mentoring platform that includes subject matter experts and online connections. These services will provide help toward gratifying employment and successful careers for those involved in the program. The resources will be offered through a Financial Literacy Portal enabling access to online, telephone and one-to-one education and counseling. Funding to assist development of this new program has been provided via a grant from Alliant Credit Union Foundation.

BPW Foundation CEO Deborah L. Frett said, “There is no question that ourJoining Forces Mentoring Plus® audience needs access to financial literacy tools and education to help them succeed. Alliant Credit Union’s commitment to provide financial literacy assistance for women in general and military women in particular, makes them an ideal partner for us.”

As lead partner for the Financial Literacy Support Program, Alliant plans to help BPW Foundation build a consortium of credit unions to expand and enhance this program. The consortium will develop and oversee financial resources to help: 1) younger women veterans establish credit; 2) military spouses meet relocation challenges; 3) veterans and veteran spouses plan for careers or retirement; 4) military spouse caregivers manage family finances; 5) entrepreneurs and business owners obtain advice and access to capital.

Ms. Frett added, “Alliant Credit Union has championed financial literacy initiatives across a broad spectrum of consumers. Their Foundation’s support of BPW Foundation’s 2010 Joining Forces for Women Veterans National Summit helped focus attention on the financial education needs of women leaving the military. Subsequent research and learning led to the development of a tailored financial literacy library in a trusted setting to respond to the overwhelming need among women veterans and military/veteran spouses.”

Mr. Mooney said, “It’s very gratifying for us to provide assistance to women veterans and military/veteran spouses through our partnership with BPW Foundation.”

BPW Foundation identified employment and career mentoring as a critical need of transitioning women veterans to civilian life. First Lady Michelle Obama recognized this “mentorship gap” in the White House’s selection of BPW Foundation as the lead organization for a large-scale mentoring initiative. BPW Foundation has since forged partnerships with more than 54 corporations and non-profit organizations to fulfill this mandate. At the recent White House “Champions for Change” women veterans’ event, the First Lady recognized BPW Foundation “for the exceptional work that they do every day for women veterans.”

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