Fifth Third Bank Celebrates National Financial Literacy Month

In tandem with National Financial Literacy Month, Fifth Third Bank (Tampa Bay) is offering a series of empowerment programs designed to help students and businesses take stock of their finances and develop positive habits. Since the start of the year, these programs have impacted more than 2,500 people in the Bay area.

“Fifth Third Bank understands the importance of financial responsibility,” said Brian Lamb, president of Fifth Third Bank (Tampa Bay). “We are committed to empowering people of all ages with the tools and life skills that will help them make sound financial decisions long into the future.”

Fifth Third employees volunteer throughout the community to implement financial literacy programs in partnership with the following local schools and organizations:

• University of South Florida: Fifth Third employees recently held a seminar for 45 USF veteran students that focused on budgeting, savings and understanding credit. This seminar is planned to take place every semester.

• St. Petersburg College: Financial seminars are now incorporated into college’s required “Student Life Skills” curriculum for incoming freshmen, reaching more than 600 students.

• School Board of Pinellas County: A system-wide partnership will provide key financial literacy programs for teachers and students. A Fifth Third-sponsored program by financial expert Dave Ramsey is currently in place, called “Foundations in Personal Finance,” reaching 400 high school students. Future plans include the implementation of the “Young Bankers Club” and “Teach a Student to Save.”

• Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School: The “Brooks Bunch Business Bootcamp” – a 17-week financial literacy program for 25 10th-grade students at Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School – was launched in partnership with Derrick Brooks Charities.

• Xcelience: Weekly “Empower U” seminars are presented to more than 30 employees of the pharmaceutical development company, covering topics such as building credit, identity theft protection, budgeting, investing and mortgages.

For more information about Fifth Third Bank and its financial empowerment philosophy, visit www.53.com/financial-empowerment/.