Get the latest delivered to your inbox
Privacy Policy

Now Reading

The Gasoline Alley Foundation Announces Financial Literacy Training Grant from Westbank

The Gasoline Alley Foundation Announces Financial Literacy Training Grant from Westbank

Published 10-21-05

Submitted by Gasoline Alley Foundation, The

The Gasoline Alley Foundation announced today receipt of a grant from Westbank to expand their new workshop series entitled, "Basic Banking and Financial Literacy".

The workshops are designed to address the need for financial literacy in urban communities. "People living in poverty are often underserved and want to learn about financial literacy and basic banking. This grant from Westbank and others will allow us to expand our series to a wider audience", said Tony Taylor Executive Director of the Foundation

Workshops have been conducted with groups of youth from the Cities of Springfield and Chicopee. Participants have commented on the success of the workshops in evaluation forms gathered at the end of each workshop. Weeks after the workshops, participants are calling to talk about how they have changed their spending patterns and are more focused on being familiar with basic banking and budgeting.

The workshops are designed to familiarize the participants on checking and savings accounts, credit, budgeting and loan applications. Generally, the participants have little knowledge of the banking system and the series will help them understand how banks work and the importance of financial literacy.

The expanded workshop series will include socially responsible/sustainable entrepreneurship education and employment and self-improvement workshops, which include anger management, stress management and time management.

Through the generous grant of Westbank's Amy Sheehan, Senior Vice President of compliance/CRA and BSA officer and its President and CEO Donald Chase, the Gasoline Alley Foundation will be able to provide numerous workshops to help increase the financial literacy and knowledge of banking to individuals and families in the community.

"Financial literacy and basic banking is instrumental for people in the community and we are a socially responsible agency that believes that strength and growth lies in the willingness of businesses as well as individuals to give back" Taylor adds.

The next workshop will be held at 250 Albany Street, Springfield The Gasoline Alley Foundation offices on November 10, 2005 sponsored by Westbank and The Gasoline Alley Foundation

About Gasoline Alley Foundation, Inc.

Founded in 1986 and Incorporated in 2000, The Gasoline Alley Foundation, Inc. is a not for profit organization with a mission to "teach inner city and underprivileged persons to be successful entrepreneurs using socially responsible/sustainable business practices'. Basic banking and financial literacy are the prerequisites for independent living and entrepreneurial pursuits.

The Foundation has assisted individuals and small business owners through various support services. Over the years, the Foundation has incubated over forty-five companies and has nine active for profit and non-profit entities in its small business incubator on Gasoline Alley in Springfield, Massachusetts. It is the organizations' desire to promote economic development opportunities to residents and small business owners by offering business support and foster job creation initiatives. Educating consumers, merchants, and investors through financial literacy has been a foundation of the organization. For more information visit www.gasolinealley.org

Gasoline Alley Foundation, The

Gasoline Alley Foundation, The

More from Gasoline Alley Foundation, The

Join today and get the latest delivered to your inbox