Cardinal Credit Union aims to educate area youth on preparing for their financial future
By Kelli Comer
Forging a future in financial success starts at home. Area children and teenagers can now start on their financial journey with help from a familiar football team.
The Cardinal Credit Union, a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative serving the community through high performance banking products and services, is joining forces with the Cleveland Browns as the official credit union of the team. As part of their alliance, Cardinal is launching a series of financial education initiatives aimed at educating today’s youth on financial matters.
“Early education on financial wellness is a critical need today to set young people up for future success,” Cardinal Credit Union CEO Christine Blake says. “Our new program—Lil Brownies Savings—is a great way to bring a winning strategy for financial education. Financial education has been a passion of ours through the work we have been doing in the community and with local area high schools for more than a decade. Now we are expanding our reach to include elementary and middle school-aged children with the support of the Cleveland Browns.”
With this initiative, Cardinal will be able to extend its impact in the community. Lil Brownies along with their parents will be able to open a free account with a Brownie the Elf debit card. Parents will be able to provide oversight for interactive financial activities including parental card controls, transaction requests and notifications, parental allowances and payment for grades, budgeting and youth financial education tools. The accounts can be opened online or at any of Cardinal’s seven retail branches.
Other perks for active Lil Brownies account holders include being placed in a drawing for autograph sessions at the Browns training camp and for club seats to Browns home games.
“Cardinal Credit Union is passionate about supporting financial well-being and together with the Browns, the Lil Brownies Saving program will bring new and meaningful initiatives that positively impact our community’s youth,” says Cleveland Browns Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships Erica Muhleman.
Cardinal Credit Union provides financial education throughout the community with an integrated financial education program at six area high schools and Lakeland Community College, where Cardinal operates several in-school branches. Here, students have a chance to learn more about positive money management through a hands-on approach. All partner high school students with a school-branded debit card are eligible to obtain a Brownie the Elf savings card. This allows high school students to create positive financial habits while also being entered to win club seat tickets for Browns home games.
Headquartered in Mentor, Cardinal Credit Union has seven locations serving Northeast Ohio. For more information, call 440-266-2200 or visit CardinalCU.com/ClevelandBrowns/.