Foundations Launch Financial Literacy Support Program for Women Veterans and Military Spouses During Financial Literacy Month

( Washington, DC ) – Alliant Credit Union Foundation and Business and Professional Women’s Foundation are partnering to provide free financial education, counseling, and tools for the rapidly growing community of women veterans and military/veteran spouses served by Joining Forces Mentoring Plus® to promote and facilitate economic stability and prosperity in their civilian lives.

These financial literacy resources will be available to all members of BPW Foundation’s Joining Forces Mentoring Plus® online employment mentoring platform through a designated Financial Literacy Portal with access to online, phone, and one-to-one counseling and education.

Alliant Credit Union and BPW Foundation will jointly seek additional credit union partners to join a consortium that leverages individual business strategies, marketplace strengths, and geography to meet the diverse and expanding needs of Joining Forces Mentoring Plus® women veterans and military/veteran spouses. The consortium will develop and oversee financial resources that include helping younger women veterans establish credit, military spouses facing portability challenges as a result of frequent moves, older women veterans looking to plan for retirement or second careers, caregivers of wounded warriors saddled with responsibility for family finances, as well as entrepreneurs and business owners seeking advice and access to capital.

David Mooney, Alliant Credit Union President/CEO, has championed financial literacy initiatives across a broad spectrum of consumers, including children and women. Alliant Credit Union Foundation’s early support of BPW Foundation’s 2010 Joining Forces for Women Veterans National Summit helped identify and focus attention on the specific financial education needs of women leaving the military. Subsequent research and learning led to the development of a tailored financial literacy library in a trusted setting to respond to the overwhelming need among women veterans and military/veteran spouses.

“There is no question that our Joining Forces Mentoring Plus® audience of women veterans and military/veteran spouses needs access to financial literacy tools and education to find and understand the resources that will enable them to support themselves and their families. Alliant Credit Union’s commitment to providing financial literacy for women in general, and military women in particular, makes them the ideal lead partner for this consortium. BPW Foundation is grateful for the continuing support of Dave Mooney, Alliant Credit Union and its Foundation,” said Deborah L. Frett, BPW Foundation CEO. “We are excited at the prospect of offering our audience a unique credit union membership opportunity as well as credentialed, personal one-to-one counseling and education. Alliant Credit Union’s online presence affords us the ideal launchpad for an expanding partnership with credit unions across the U.S. ”

David Mooney added, “The purpose of Alliant Credit Union Foundation is to promote economic empowerment and self-sufficiency. One way we do this is by supporting financial literacy-related initiatives. It’s especially gratifying for us to provide such assistance to women veterans and military/veteran spouses through our partnership with BPW Foundation.”

The Credit Union Financial Literacy Portal is the latest addition to the growing list of free resources and information available to women veterans and military/veteran spouses via BPW Foundation’s Joining Forces Mentoring Plus® internet platform, which connects volunteer working women mentors and subject matter expertise to support success in the civilian workplace. The program’s “Working Women Helping Women Work” philosophy builds on a workforce development model to help women veterans and military/veteran spouses navigate their individual challenges finding and succeeding in civilian careers.

BPW Foundation identified employment and career mentoring as a critical need of transitioning women veterans during its inaugural Joining Forces for Women Veterans National Summit in October 2010. First Lady Michelle Obama recognized this “mentorship gap” in the White House’s selection of BPW Foundation as the lead organization for a large-scale mentoring initiative to benefit women veterans and military/veteran spouses. BPW Foundation has since forged partnerships with more than 54 corporations and non-profit organizations to fulfill this mandate, and at the recent White House Champions for Change: Women Veterans event The First Lady recognized BPW Foundation “for the exceptional work that they do every day for women veterans.”

About BPW Foundation

BPW Foundation supports workforce development programs and workplace policies that recognize the diverse needs of working women, their families, communities, and businesses. BPW Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) research and education organization. To learn more, visit http:www.bpwfoundation.org. Please sign up to join the Joining Forces Mentoring Plus® community as a member, mentee, mentor, or subject matter expert at Joining Forces Mentoring Plus®.

About Alliant Credit Union Foundation

Alliant Credit Union Foundation is a 501c3 not-for-profit charitable organization established in 2009 via a $4 million grant from Alliant Credit Union. The foundation and credit union are both headquartered in Chicago near O’Hare International Airport at 11545 W. Touhy Avenue . The foundation’s purpose is to promote economic empowerment and self-sufficiency, especially for people in the communities in which Alliant Credit Union members and employees live and work. One way it does this is by supporting programs that enhance education and financial literacy. The foundation makes charitable contributions, supports financial literacy activities and makes investments to fund community development projects. The foundation, a legal entity separate from the credit union, is managed by a board of directors comprised of Alliant employees.