Charlotte County Press Releases 
Family Budgeting Class
For Immediate ReleaseFamily Budgeting Class Comes With Free Savings Account
CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. (Oct. 13, 2009) – Charlotte County Human Services Department is looking for fifteen low income, employed county residents to become students in a household budget management class being funded with a stimulus grant to the County from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Each class member or family accepted for enrollment in the six month program will be given a starter savings account by Calusa National Bank. During the program, each household will be expected to deposit $20 per month into that account. At the successful completion of the program, Charlotte County will match the contribution to the account up to $120 with Calusa National Bank contributing $25.
The once-a-month class in household budgeting will be taught by Trish Bellois, a financial counselor with the local office of Habitat for Humanity. Over the past year, Ms. Bellois has taught similar classes for more than 50 county residents involved in the Habitat program.
Calusa National Bank President Todd Katz says, “We’re a community focused organization always looking for innovative ways to invest in Charlotte County and its people. When we were approached to provide savings accounts for folks who normally wouldn’t have the wherewithal to open such accounts, we jumped on the idea.”
Employed low income county residents interested in applying for the class should contact Karen Hirsh at Charlotte County Human Services, at 941.613.1440 by Wednesday, October 28. The first of the six monthly classes will take place Monday, Nov. 2, at the Family Services Center, 21450 Gibralter Drive, Port Charlotte, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Child care services will be provided for children age five and older.
Release Date: 10/13/2009
