In our quest to break generational curses, more and more Black folks are going to therapy and embracing financial literacy. I personally have made both a priority during the pandemic—I’m happy to report that my credit score no longer resembles my shoe size—and Black-owned finance app Goalsetter has positioned itself as an excellent resource to help you get your money right.
During Black History Month, Goalsetter partnered with NBA superstar Chris Paul for its “Drafted” campaign, which sought to jumpstart the financial freedom of one million Black and Brown kids by providing educational tools that will teach them how to establish effective financial habits and generate wealth over the course of their lifetimes.
And now, two months later, the company has partnered with the NFL Player’s Association and former NFL star Maurice Jones-Drew to surprise more than 250 students at St. Peter Martyr School in Pittsburgh, Calif., with starter savings accounts. As part of its “Dropping Jewels” campaign, which coincides with Financial Literacy Month, Jones-Drew schooled students on the importance of financial education and provided each of them with the following:
- An FDIC-insured savings account through the Goalsetter app.
- A deposit of $40 in their individual Goalsetter savings accounts.
- Five years of financial literacy educational tools, which include weekly fun quizzes and games designed for kids that are kid-friendly and culturally relevant.
- A Cashola Card (the Goalsetter tween and teen debit card backed by Mastercard) that has game-based financial literacy quizzes attached to it.
“Financial literacy and freedom are at the core of many of the programs and resources that we provide to our player members,” Dana Shuler, NFLPA Player Affairs Senior Director, said in a statement to The Root. “By teaming up with Goalsetter, we are not only able to reinforce these jewels of wisdom with our participating players, but also impart them to the next generation of leaders so that they can get a head start on building wealth to make a positive impact in the world.”
These are exactly the type of stories I love to share on The Root and I can’t help but wonder where I’d be in life if I had somebody to put me up on game this early in life.
During Black History Month alone, Goalsetter had more than 40 athletes, entertainers, activists, organizations, and brands involved in their quest to set every kid in America on the path to financial freedom. Chris Paul, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, billionaire philanthropist Robert K. Smith, and Nike were among the many who offered their support. And now their “Dropping Gems” campaign, Goalsetter continues its mission to help Black and Brown children achieve generational wealth.
“We believe that the only way to truly make an impact that will change the course of minority communities in this country is to close the economic gaps that continue to hinder their progress,” Tanya Van Court, CEO of Goalsetter, said in a statement provided to The Root. “The first step is to create collective consciousness around the lack of financial literacy that many communities are facing, and the second is to implement actions that will help bridge the gap.”
She continued, “As a country, we have long neglected to teach the core principles of building wealth to those who need it most and do so in a way that is engaging, impactful, and relevant to kids. Our partnership with the NFLPA and extraordinary educators across the country is a seminal moment for America because it foretells a new chapter in how we reach and teach our children. Seeing their heroes from the football field ‘drop jewels” of wisdom from the financial field will be a game-changer for America’s kids, and will help those who need it most to get excited about learning the building blocks of financial freedom and success.”
Shoutout to Maurice Jones-Drew, the NFL Player’s Association, and Goalsetter for doing their part to address the racial wealth gap.