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Financial Literacy Month is a time to recognize not only the importance of financial education, but also the people who help make it possible.
At Financial Beginnings, our volunteers play a critical role in bringing financial education to life — sharing knowledge, real-world experience, and practical tools that help individuals build confidence in their financial decisions.
This week, we’re proud to highlight one of those volunteers: Deona DeLong.
Deona is a mom, homeowner, and longtime mortgage loan officer with a deep connection to her community. She began volunteering with Financial Beginnings because she saw a gap in personal finance education and wanted to be part of the solution.
“I love being able to bridge that gap by teaching these courses,” she shared. “It’s something my employer, Banner Bank, fully supports — they even provide paid time off for employees to volunteer each year.”
For Deona, volunteering is more than teaching. It’s an opportunity to keep learning and sharing.
“It’s not just teaching, it’s learning too. I often pick up tips from folks in the classes that I can then pass on to the next person.”
She’s also seen firsthand how financial education can create lasting change.
“I’ve watched people go from learning to budget, to owning a home, to helping their kids with college, and now preparing for retirement and estate planning. Real full-circle moments, and each started by learning to budget and making the decision to keep learning.”
When it comes to advice, Deona keeps it simple:
“It’s never too late to start setting financial goals. The power of compounding interest is a little bit of magic.”
We’re grateful for volunteers like Deona who are helping build financial confidence in communities every day.
If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer, we’d love to connect.
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