Taking Part in the Greater Solution


As we say goodbye to April and Financial Literacy month, we reflect on numerous wonderful events that many of you probably participated in to promote this topic so dear to us. These events have all grown out of one special event, Financial Literacy Day on Capitol Hill. The event began in 2003 as a small gathering sponsored by the Council for Economic Education, Junior Achievement, and the Jump$tart Coalition. This year, more than 60 organizations came together to promote financial literacy and share the services they provide with congressional staff and the public.

Laura Levine, president and CEO of Jump$tart Coalition welcomed the gathering and commented on the ability of the event to bring together such a diverse group of organizations to share their unique talents and services but ultimately focused on the same noble goal: financial literacy for all. This idea struck me in her remarks but even more so as the day wore on. While a few staffers came by the booth to talk to me, the majority of my day was spent discussing AFCPE® with representatives from many of the other organizations present. This is one thing that I love about our industry. While each company wants to succeed, everyone is united in a desire to help our clients achieve financial self-sufficiency. Each group may bring a different service or tackle the challenge from a different angle, but we are all part of the greater solution.

Our booth this year was situated next to the representative from the CFP Board. Throughout the day we had a great conversation about how our certifications complement each other and provide for talented practitioners throughout the spectrum of financial education.  I would overhear my neighbor plugging AFCPE and the AFC® in his discussions with other represented organizations and I did the same for him.

Throughout the day I was able to speak with representatives from universities, financial service providers, financial service foundations, non-profits, government agencies, and private companies. I talked to students and staffers as well as people from Jump$tart, Junior Achievement, the USDA, Vanguard, National Credit Union Foundation, and Nerd Wallet among many others. Some were personally interested in our certifications, some the research our members are doing. Some wanted to tap into our wealth of member knowledge, and some were hoping our members may utilize the tools they offer. But at the end of the day, they were all interested in hearing about how AFCPE supports financial literacy and how they or their organization may be able to join us in that mission.

As we look forward to next year’s financial literacy month, I encourage you to seek out or reach out to other organizations in your area that are promoting financial education. See what they are offering, how you can utilize their expertise, and how AFCPE, your AFC experience, or other organizations you are affiliated with can benefit them.

Guest Blogger: Kira Dentes is a 2013 FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellow and AFC® candidate.

May 04, 2015

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