United Way awarded funds for financial literacy program

United Way of Yuma County was awarded funds to provide financial literacy course to students.

Washington Federal Credit Union donated $1,000 to United Way to ensure 60 students could engage in a financial literacy course that offers students the opportunity to put their knowledge to work.

United Way said they have been sending students from Yuma Elementary School District One to JA Biztown in Tempe, Ariz. for about 10 years.

They go into classrooms and teach students how to write checks, balance checkbooks, and budget.

“It’s really a financial literacy course. Get them ready to be the real world workers and really kind of teach them a little bit more of there’s a pathway out of poverty. And teach them a sense of job and what they can do in their future life,” explained Kari Tatar, United Way of Yuma County’s community impact director.

United Way of Yuma County described the rewarding moments that they see happen when students put their new skills to work.

“We had one student who actually was sitting there doing payroll and said, ‘this is a real job? Like, you really can be a C.F.O.?’ Which my boss referred to as ‘Yeah, she has one. Do you want to meet our CFO?’ It’s exciting to let them see that there’s hope and there is a way out of poverty.”

United Way said that this year C.W. McGraw Elementary School will be benefiting from the program at no cost.