Eglin Federal Credit Union and Okaloosa Saves team up to empower children to save

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. – Eglin Federal Credit Union and Okaloosa Saves joined forces once again for their highly successful annual Teach a Child to Save campaign, which ran from April 1 to June 30.

With a strong emphasis on empowering youth, the campaign encouraged children to establish savings goals and open savings accounts at EFCU. This year, an impressive total of 114 young participants, all under the age of 18, contributed to the campaign by making deposits that amounted to an impressive $23,335.81.

As an exciting incentive, Okaloosa Saves organized a random drawing, where six fortunate children had the opportunity to receive a $50 deposit directly into their EFCU accounts.

The program’s overall impact has been remarkable since its inception in 2004, as a grand total of 2,286 children have participated, resulting in an impressive cumulative deposit amount of $373,439.88.

The six 2023 winners are:

Takiyah Grayson, Valparaiso

Korben Marshall, Crestview

Joseph Nehiley, Baker

Leilani Stephens, Destin

Jimmy Stewart III, Freeport

Brayden Waters, Destin

“Okaloosa Saves has been a part of guiding people in Okaloosa County to become more financially stable for 20 years,” said Trey Goodwin, Chairman of the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners.

“We are especially grateful for their efforts in teaching young people about the importance of reducing debt and building wealth by creating a plan to save money year-round. Financial wellness helps promote overall wellness, and we appreciate Okaloosa Saves for continuing this effort for so many years.”

Eglin Federal Credit Union President/CEO Jerry Williams said, “We have partnered with Okaloosa Saves for 19 years to help teach children the importance of saving, and we look forward to this program every summer.”

Sherry Harlow, APR, Okaloosa Saves Treasurer, donated $1,000 to help with the Teach a Child to Save campaign.

“We look forward to having a positive impact on youth and developing good saving habits for their future,” said Harlow

Savings tips for parents:

• Talk about the importance of budgeting and saving money
• Visit your local EFCU 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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