South Florida Leaders, Financial Institutions, and Entrepreneurs Gather to Highlight the Economic Impact of Financial Education
FR. LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Consolidated Credit hosted its annual Financial Literacy Month Breakfast, bringing together banks, credit unions, municipal leaders, elected officials, business owners, and nonprofit partners to celebrate this year’s theme: “The Business of Community.”
The event underscored the vital role financial education plays in strengthening families, empowering entrepreneurs, and driving long-term economic resilience.
“For us, financial literacy is more than education, it’s economic infrastructure,” says Sandra Tobon, Director of Community Outreach at Consolidated Credit. “When families gain financial stability, businesses grow. When entrepreneurs understand credit, communities build wealth. That’s the business of community.”
During the event, Consolidated Credit highlighted several key initiatives from the past year, including:
- Participation in the Hispanic Entrepreneurs Initiative proclamation celebration
- Workshops focused on helping small business owners transition from personal credit to business credit
- Partnerships with community-based foundations to expand access to financial education
- Collaboration with the University of Miami and SCORE Broward to support entrepreneurs and Spanish-speaking small business owners
The event also recognized the community partners and sponsors whose support continues to make this work possible, including City National Bank, Valley Bank, Third Federal Savings and Loan, Wells Fargo, Truist Bank, Comerica, First Bank, Optimum Bank, Citi Bank, and the United Way of Broward County. Their ongoing commitment has played a key role in helping individuals and families move toward greater financial stability and independence.
“Financial literacy becomes powerful when it becomes collaborative,” says April Lewis-Parks, Consolidated Credit’s Director of Financial Education. “Together, we are not just teaching financial education, we are building economic resilience.”
The organization also showcased KOFE: Knowledge of Financial Education, its scalable financial wellness platform that provides employers, credit unions, and municipalities with on-demand coaching, digital tools, webinars, and financial assessments.
“KOFE allows institutions to deliver year-round financial education with measurable impact,” says Ana Maria Ceballos, KOFE Relationships Manger. “It strengthens workforce stability, deepens member engagement, and supports meaningful community reinvestment.”
Consolidated Credit proudly presented the Barry Rothman Financial Education Scholarship to two Broward County high school seniors, made possible by City National Bank and in partnership with United Way of Broward County, the Crockett Foundation, Hispanic Unity of Florida, and the FLITE Center, all of whom share a commitment to advancing early financial education and long-term financial stability.
New for this year, Consolidated Credit introduced the 2026 Money Confidence Roadmap, a practical guide designed to help individuals and families. The roadmap provides structured strategies to build savings, manage debt, strengthen credit, and increase financial confidence.
About Consolidated Credit
Consolidated Credit is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals and families overcome financial challenges through education, counseling, and community partnerships. For more than 30 years, the organization has provided financial literacy programs, housing counseling, debt management services, and workplace financial wellness solutions nationwide.
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SOURCE Consolidated Credit
