A Financial Fitness guide for young adults participating in Epworth Children’s Homes’ Center for Independent Living and Family Care Counseling programs was created by Capstone Group 4. These programs focus on developing life skills and educational opportunities for residents and program participants. The guide is intended to introduce personal financial skills training and connect Epworth Children’s Home to resources but does not substitute for professional advice.

During a site visit, leadership and counselors at Epworth told the Capstone group that they are able to provide life skills training, but not for finances. The staff reported that they are not viewed as credible sources by residents and needed help identifying reliable, applicable, age appropriate assistance with personal finance.

An exploratory phase led the Capstone team in several directions, but they decided to use Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) resources for the majority of the guide. Contact with local bankers was also made resulting in 4 different people representing 4 different institutions scheduled to present 4 modules: Bank on It, Check on It, Setting Financial Goals, and Paying for College and Cars. The local bankers have committed to the initial launch, as well as looking at a longer-term relationship providing financial mentoring to Epworth’s residents.