My First Nest Egg and Forum Credit Union partner to empower kids ages 3-13 with financial education in a back-to-school launch
Innovative Digital Financial Education Company Teams Up with FORUM Credit Union to Offer Free Programming to the Community
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (August 2, 2023) — As the back-to-school season approaches, My First Nest Egg, an award winning digital financial education system that gamifies healthy financial habits for kids ages 3-13, is thrilled to announce its partnership with FORUM Credit Union, an 82 year old institution serving Central Indiana. The collaboration aims to provide FORUM Credit Union members and community with free resources to support youth financial education, empowering children with essential money management skills right in time for the new academic year. The need for youth financial education is a growing concern, and it led My First Nest Egg’s co-founders, Nicolle Hood and Annie Shoen, both moms and former attorneys, to develop this interactive learning platform.
“The ‘Amazon Effect’ is a real issue with today’s youth when it comes to understanding the value of money,” said Hood, CEO of My First Nest Egg. “They open an app, click to order an item, and it arrives at their doorstep. Digital transactions have made it challenging for kids to grasp the true essence of money. Without proper financial education programs, our children’s financial futures are at risk”
Recognizing the importance of fostering financial education in youth, FORUM Credit Union, which already provides innovative services and modern ways to meet members’ financial needs, eagerly joined forces with My First Nest Egg. Through this partnership, FORUM Credit Union will receive a customized co-branded version of the My First Nest Egg app and content, enabling them to provide their youngest members with an engaging and educational way to learn about earning, saving, and giving back. The offerings include a white-labeled smart piggy bank, an age-appropriate curriculum, a dedicated website, calculators, and more, all designed to enhance their youth programming.
Andy Mattingly, the Chief Operating Officer of the credit union, remarks that, “FORUM is excited to better serve our young savers and their families with an interactive, engaging way to learn about money basics while also teaching and reinforcing the concepts of saving, spending and sharing.”
” My First Nest Egg’s COO, Annie Shoen, highlighted, “Money habits are formed as early as age seven, yet many kids lack exposure to even basic money concepts during these crucial years. This gap in early education has led to a financial literacy epidemic, which significantly impacts mental health in adulthood.”
Research shows that 64% of adults identify money as a significant source of stress in their lives. Recognizing that money management is more about mindset than just math, My First Nest Egg aims to instill healthy financial habits during childhood, leading to improved financial outcomes and reduced financial stress in adulthood.
Nicolle Hood added, “Partnering with strong organizations like FORUM Credit Union provides an ideal opportunity to promote youth financial education across the U.S. The back-to-school launch with FORUM Credit Union marks a significant step forward in empowering kids with crucial financial skills for a brighter future.”
About FORUM Credit Union
FORUM Credit Union’s mission, Helping Members Live Their Financial Dreams, is reflected as FORUM endeavors to help members achieve their goals in all aspects of their financial lives. FORUM serves families and businesses in the state of Indiana with convenient branch locations and online access from anywhere. A full suite of financial services are offered including home mortgages, auto loans, personal checking, credit cards, business checking, commercial lending, insurance services, health savings accounts, and investment planning. For more information about FORUM Credit Union, please visit forumcu.com.
About My First Nest Egg: The co-founders, Nicolle and Annie, have been close friends for years and are proud mothers to 3 and 4 children, respectively. During the Covid lockdowns, they sought to motivate their children to handle chores and schoolwork with ease, only to discover their kids lacked an understanding of the true value of money. Being moms and former attorneys, they extensively researched chore apps and debit cards for kids, but finding no age-appropriate solution for their young children, they took matters into their own hands. Collaborating with child psychologists, financial experts, educators, and numerous parents, they developed a cutting-edge financial literacy tool known as My First Nest Egg. Today, this platform empowers families to instill healthy financial habits in their young children, backed by behavioral psychology and incorporating kid-approved fun. For more information, visit MyFirstNestEgg.com, and follow My First Nest Egg on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
