Livonia, MI - On April 25, Zeal Credit Union’s community room was filled with over 110 Girl Scouts ready to learn during Money Smart Girl Scouts, a Money Smart Week event designed to provide financial literacy to Girl Scouts at the Daisy, Brownie, and Junior levels.

Money Smart Week is a national campaign that offers thousands of free events to educate consumers on financial topics.  In 2019, events were held throughout the month of April.

“This is the second year we have held this event,” stated Tiffany Sweet Youth and Community Development Coordinator at Zeal Credit Union.  “It important for children to establish smart financial habits at a young age.  By holding events like these, we are helping set them up for success.”

Each scout in attendance received a Money Smart Week patch for her vest or sash after completing a series of six age-appropriate activity stations covering a variety of financial topics including shopping on a budget, saving for a goal, counting coins and opportunity cost. 

“We are very pleased with the turnout at this year’s event,” continued Sweet.  “All the hard work is worth it when you see the smiles and hear the appreciation from scouts, troop leaders and parents.”

Zeal also reached adults during the 2019 Money Smart Week campaign.  In early April they held a homebuying seminar at William P. Faust Westland Library with information provided by GreenPath Financial Wellness and the Zeal Mortgage Team.  They also hosted a college planning seminar at their headquarters led by Zeal Financial Advisor, Jon Lybeck.

“Money Smart Week, and financial education in general, is only possible through meaningful collaboration among content, hosting, promotional and underwriting partners,” stated Kelly Masters, Michigan Chair, Money Smart Week. “Partnerships such as the one between Zeal Credit Union and the Michigan Money Smart Week campaign are crucial to achieving the goal to improve the financial decision-making of consumers at all ages and stages of life.”

Masters went on to say, “Providing unique and engaging programs, like Money Smart Girl Scouts, allows people to engage in ways that work for them. The greatest impact is always achieved when everyone wins. I look forward to the growth and evolution of the Money Smart Week campaign partnership with Zeal Credit Union for many years, and generations, to come!”

Zeal Credit Union is committed to providing financial education year-round.  To learn about upcoming educational events please visit www.ZealCreditUnion.org.  To request a free youth presentation for a school or other group, please contact Tiffany Sweet at tsweet@zealcu.org.

Zeal Credit Union is a full-service, non-profit financial institution with more than 65,000 members, assets exceeding $600 million and 13 full-service branch offices in metro Detroit. Members also have access to more than 5,000 shared branches and nearly 30,000 ATMs nationwide. Member deposits are insured to $250,000 by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), a U.S. government agency. For more information about Zeal Credit Union, visit the credit union website www.ZealCreditUnion.org or call 800-321-8570.