Financial Education Resources - Caledonia County

Community National Bank

Service Region: Caledonia County
Resource for: Pre-K to 12th grade
Details: The Totally Kids Club, for children up to 12-years old, encourages savings. Accounts may be opened with as little as $5 -- no fees. The Community Promise program for teens includes a special ATM card and complete bank training session. CNB supports the ABA programs--National Teach Children to Save Day and Get Smart About Credit. Employees are available year-round for class presentations. Member FDIC.
Contact: Tracy Roberts, 802-487-3512, troberts@communitynationalbank.com
  4245 U.S. Route 101, Troy, VT 05868

Gilman Housing Trust--Neighbor Works ® Home Ownership Center

Service Region: Caledonia County
Resource for: Adults
Details: Center staff offer financial counseling for homebuyers, as well as counseling for homeowners facing a mortgage delinquency and or foreclosure situation.
Contact:

Theresa Robinson, 802-535-3555, ext. 1300, or toll free at 888-698-8466, theresar@nekhome.org

  P.O. Box 259, Lyndonville, VT 05851

Merchants Bank

Service Region: Caledonia County
Resource for: Adults
Details: Merchants Bank provides financial literacy courses using the FDIC MoneySmart Program. All 36 branches in Vermont provide the free 10-module course for adults. Topics covered include budgeting, saving, borrowing, credit help, and consumer rights. Contact your local branch for more information. Branches are listed on our web site.
Contact: Doreen Allen, 802-485-5311, dallen@mbvt.com
  70 Depot Square, Northfield, VT 05663

Northeast Kingdom Community Action Agency

Service Region: Caledonia County
Resource for: Adults
Details: NEKCA provides financial literacy classes using FDIC's "Money Smart" and NEFE's "Finding Paths to Prosperity" curriculum. NEKCA also provides one-on-one credit counseling and debt management. NEKCA staff is NACCC certified.
Contact: Don Welch, 802-748-6048, mbdp@nekcavt.org
  108 Cherry Street, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819

Passumpsic Savings Bank

Service Region: Caledonia County
Resource for: K-12 & Adults
Details: Passumpsic Savings Bank provides free financial literacy programs to both students and adults. Twelve schools in the Northeast Kingdom receive instructional course materials sponsored by the bank on how to open and manage a checking account and how to establish credit and understand the lending process. PSB participates in the National Teach Children to Save Day by participating in classroom programs throughout the bank's market area. Bank staff are also available to work with community organizations on financial literacy training programs.
Contact: Barbara Schoolcraft, 802-751-4215, bschoolcraft@passumpsicbank.com
  P.O. Box 38, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819

TD Bank 

Service Region:

Caledonia County
Resource for:
K-12
Details:
The TD Bank WOW! Zone is an online, interactive learning tool for children and teens and provides valuable information about money, saving, banking and investing. TD Bank WOW! Zone also provides grade appropriate lesson plans for educators on a range of financial topics and gives parents helpful suggestions for talking to kids about money. Inquiries and arrangements for presenters are coordinated through the Public Affairs Officer. Employees from all of TD Bank offices regularly participte in financial literacy efforts.
Contact:
Julie McQuillan, 207-828-7558, julie.mcquillan@TDBanknorth.com
   
 
Union Bank

Service Region: Caledonia County
Resource for: K-6
Details: Union Bank offers Save For Success, a savings program that serves approximately 20 elementary schools. The program provides a weekly banking run by parent volunteers. Youth are encouraged to adopt sound savings principles. Free instructional materals are available to schools.
Contact: Marisa McPherson, 802-888-6600, ext. 1117, MMcPher@unionbankvt.com
  P.O. Box 667, Morrisville, VT 05661

VSECU

Service Region: Caledonia County
Resource for: K-12 & Adults
Details: Caledonia Country residents may access VSECU services through its Montpelier office. Free workshops and seminars are available statewide on a range of financial topics including budgeting, debt management, credit cards, credit reports and scores, and homebuying. Guest speakers also are available for groups and schools. Web-based financial literacy programs for elementary, middle and high school youth are available through the credit union web site.
Contact: Lynette Kemp, 800-371-5162, ext. 5182, LKemp@vsecu.com
  1 Bailey Avenue, Montpelier, VT 05602


Statewide Resources

Some of the providers listed only by county, also offer statewide services.
Such services are indicated in each description.
 

GreenPath Debt Solutions

Service Region: Statewide
Resource for: All Ages
Details: GreenPath provides education programs statewide on a variety of financial literacy topics. Program presentation topics include budgeting, saving, wise credit use, debt management, rebuilding credit, basic banking, credit reports and scores, buying a car, home ownership, and identity theft. GreenPath also offers a 12-lesson financial literacy course entitled "Credit When Credit is Due." The majority of programs are offered for at no charge. Individual financial counseling is available in-person, over the phone or via the internet.
Contact: Shirley Mason, 802-479-3419
  84 S. Main Street, 2nd floor, Barre, VT 05641

Internal Revenue Service

Service Region: Statewide
Resource for: Teens & Adults
Details: Offers "Understanding Taxes," an interactive, on-line tax education program for high school and community college classrooms that can be used for traditional instruction or as a package of downloadable print resources. Content is divided into the "How of Taxes" (tax application) and the "Whys of Taxes" (theory and history). Includes lesson plans, links to state and national standards, background information, a teacher area and student area.
Contact: Grant Peterson, 802-859-1046, grant.c.peterson@irs.gov
  199 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05401

Jump$tart Vermont Coalition

Service Region: Statewide
Resource for: K-12
Details: Jump$tart is dedicated to helping Vermont's young people acquire the financial skills they need to become successful, self-supporting adults. Free speakers bureau service for schools and community groups. Yearly Jump$tart conference offers training to adults seeking to instruct youth in financial literacy.
Contact: Please call, 877-242-8550, VTJumpStart@comcast.net
  131 Main St. 8th Floor, Burlington, VT 05401

National Endowment for Financial Education

Service Region: Statewide
Resource for: Teens
Details: Vermont schools and community educators can request free use of the NEFE High School Financial Planning Program. Approximately, 50 organizations--most Vermont secondary schools-use the free instructional materials. To receive an instructor's manual and student handbooks, go to the NEFE web site linked above. For program questions, speak with Susan Sharkey.
Contact: Susan Sharkey, 303-224-3516, ssharkey@nefe.org
  5299 DTC Boulevard Suite 1300, Greenwood Village, CO 80111

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Service Region: Statewide
Resource for: Adults
Details: HUD offers free reverse mortgage counseling for seniors that includes examining cash flow considerations related to a person's personal financial situation.
Contact: John Olmstead, 802-951-6290, john.olmstead@hud.gov
  159 Bank Street, 2nd floor, Burlington, VT 05401

U.S. Small Business Administration

Service Region: Statewide
Resource for: Teens & Adults
Details: Free guest lectures on small business ownership for secondary students and adult community groups. Topics covered include credit and credit history, business cash flow and personal cash flow,and identity theft. Lectures also cover general business issues such as finance, marketing, & economic and demographic impacts. Mazza also is available as an advisor for programs and institutions in entrepreneurial education.
Contact: Susan Mazza, 802-828-4422, ext. 209, Susan.Mazza@sba.gov
  87 State Street, Room 205, P.O. Box 605, Montpelier, VT 05601

Vermont Banking Division, BISCHA

Service Region: Statewide
Resource for: Adults
Details: The Banking Division provides a broad array of educational programs to promote financial literacy, including fraud prevention, identify theft, consumer outreach, and understanding the world of banking. Programs are available upon request.
Contact: Sue Clark, 802-828-4878, sue.clark@state.vt.us
  89 Main Street, Drawer 20, Montpelier, VT 05620

Vermont Commission on Women

Service Region: Statewide
Resource for: Adults
Details: Takes part in coalition groups to educate policy makers and the public about the need for financial literacy education for women and girls. Working with service providers, tailors workshops on a variety of topics, including financial literacy. Provides a trainer listing for workers in need of salary, benefit, and flexible workplace negotiation skills.
Contact: Please call, 802-828-2851, info@women.state.vt.us
  126 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05633

Vermont Securities Division, BISHCA

Service Region: Statewide
Resource for: Adults
Details: Through its Investor Education program, the Vermont Securities Division seeks to educate Vermonters on subjects such as understanding and avoiding investment fraud, understanding financial products, and understanding and selecting a financial professional. Division personnel also are available to answer questions from the public regarding the regulatory history of an individual or a business.
Contact: William Carrigan, 802-828-4858, william.carrigan@state.vt.us
  89 Main Street, Drawer 20, Montpelier, VT 05462