(A.Spaccarelli/CLAIR) – For the Need Foundation (FTN) collaborated with Ventura County Credit Union (VCCU) to host a financial literacy event titled “Your Money, Your Future” on Saturday. The event featured educational activities, including the Bite of Reality program, aimed at children and their families in need.
The event attracted nearly 80 participants who gained insights into Credit Unions, budgeting, and financial management. FTN organizes these bimonthly themed events to impart life skills and foster a supportive community.
Junior high and high school students engaged in Bite of Reality, an interactive program that simulates real-life budgeting scenarios. Volunteers acted as salespeople, encouraging participants to spend their “money,” mimicking real-world financial pressures. The objective was to complete the activity with a positive balance.
For the first time, the event also included a breakout session for parents. Led by VCCU experts, the session covered essential money management topics. One mother remarked, “this is exactly what I needed. I don’t know what I would do without FTN and this workshop.”
Younger children participated in Halloween-themed games that involved searching for marbles and coins in slimy spaghetti and mushy pumpkins. Christine Rees, referred to as “the Boss,” approved their efforts before rewarding them with tickets, teaching the principle of earning money through work.
The event was made possible through the support of the Boys & Girls Club of Moorpark & Simi Valley, Ventura County Credit Union, and numerous volunteers.
