You can make a real difference in the lives of children.

Personal Financial Literacy for Children

Many people enter adulthood without a background in the most fundamental concepts of personal finance—needs vs. wants, saving, spending, donating, budgeting, and planning. Across the United States, 45 states require personal financial literacy to be taught in schools starting in kindergarten.

Health and Well-Being of Children

Many children are coming to school on the coldest days  of winter in sweatshirts or thin fleeces. When they get sick, they miss days of school. When children stay home from school, family members may have to miss days of work placing an even greater burden on the household finances.

These children need new winter coats.

This is how you can get involved.

Bonzy Charities, through the support of corporations, foundations, and individuals, assist children from low- and moderate-income families.

Specifically:

Coat Days

• Bonzy sponsors Coat Days at elementary schools. On Coat Day, company volunteers assist students select their new winter coats. Every student at  the school receives a new winter coat. It is a great day for everyone involved.

• Bonzy coordinates the activities with the company, the school district, and the school.

• The schools have a high percentage of students participating in free or reduced-price meal programs.

Coat Day last year was November 9, 2023. On that day, the Bonzy Community provided new winter coats to over 4,000 children attending public schools in Columbus, OH. It was a great day for the children who received new winter coats to keep them warm. It was also a great day for our company volunteers that assisted the children select their coats. Companies, banks, foundations and individuals provided the funding to purchase the coats.

Reading Days

• Company associates read to kindergarten, first grade, and second grade students at elementary schools. Every student then receives a copy of Best Day at the Zoo to take home for their personal libraries.

• Best Day at the Zoo presents concepts of personal financial literacy through storytelling.

• Bonzy coordinates all of the activities with the companies, school districts, and schools.

Click on the logo to preview the book.

Can an illustrated children’s book in rhyme place a child on a path of financial success in life?

Best Day at the Zoo does just that. Written in a rhythmic style, this book is a whimsical story about brother and sister twins who have dreamed about and saved for their day at the zoo with friends. There are many lessons in the book that touch on the concepts of saving, budgeting, planning, and donating. Choices are made along the way. Giraffes with long black tongues that eat from Skye’s hand, lions that roar, and penguins that waddle spark every child’s imagination. A bell ringer’s kettle provides an opportunity for Skye and Rey to give to those who have less. The subtle financial literacy messaging is told through a story that children will relate to and will want read to them over and over again.

NOTE FOR BANKS: Bonzy received confirmation from the OCC that two CRA-eligible Activities that Bonzy Charities submitted will now receive CRA Credit.

• Providing grants to nonprofits to purchase books for children from low- and moderate-income families. Under the New Rule, banks will also receive credit for service hours for reading to children. The activity also aligns with at least two Factors of Impact and Responsiveness. Best Day at the Zoo is a win-win for schools and for banks and will be impactful in placing children on a path of financial success in life.

• Providing grants to nonprofits to purchase new winter coats for children from low- and moderate-income families.

To learn more, please contact:

Doug Godard, Founder & President

Bonzy Charities, Inc.

doug.godard@bonzy.org