Sunday Friends has always had a tradition of teaching practical money management skills to our families. From our very first days in 1997, every family member, no matter what age, has had a personal savings account in the Sunday Friends Bank. Earned tickets are saved there and later redeemed for household necessities, toys, school supplies, clothing and so much more. In this way, every family member is learning and practicing financial skills that will serve them for a life time.

Last year, we began holding financial literacy classes, led by Carlos Barrientos, a banking professional with Bank of America and a Sunday Friends Board of Directors member. Carlos also sits down one-on-one with family members to talk about their unique, personal situations. He offers solutions to their problems and helps them manage their resources for a brighter tomorrow. Carlos, with the assistance of fellow Board member Christina Bitong, also helped us develop a system to allow each participating family member's savings account to earn interest.

This year, the Union Bank of California and the Fremont Bank have provided funding for Sunday Friends to further expand our financial literacy program. We are grateful for their support.