“During the economic crisis, I thought to myself, ‘Gee, if we could change a generation around financial literacy, it would impact the country.'”

Not long ago, Roxanne Walsh walked into a Boys & Girls Club to find a group of kids poring over a copy of The Financial Times. They were following their stock picks and catching up on the business news of the day. Five years ago, this would have surprised Walsh. Today, it doesn’t. “During the economic crisis, I thought to myself, ‘Gee, if we could change a generation around financial literacy, it would impact the country.” And with the help of PSS, the clubs are doing exactly that with Money Matters: Make It Count, a program that helps kids become financially literate. Club members learn everything from how to open a checking or savings account to more advanced lessons such as paying for college or even starting a business. Developing the curriculum with PSS, Walsh quickly realized financial literacy was a real passion for the company. “They’re not hands-off. They’re engaged in the development of the program, making sure we have the right expertise, the right kinds of activities that resonate with kids. And at a local level, their employees are serving as volunteers.” The experience has reaffirmed Walsh’s belief in the power of corporate relationships, that companies can “carry out their mission and their business at the same time.”