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Financial Literacy Month is a time to recognize the importance of financial education— and the volunteers who help bring it to life in communities every day.
At Financial Beginnings, volunteers play a vital role in sharing practical knowledge, building confidence, and helping individuals take meaningful steps toward their goals.
This week, we’re proud to highlight James Harker.
James recently retired after a 33-year career in large health systems focused on strategic and business planning. As he looked toward retirement, he wanted to focus on work that creates impact one person at a time.
“My why for volunteering is to step away from the macro drivers of a broken health system and focus on individuals one at a time,” James shared.
He was drawn to Financial Beginnings because he sees financial literacy as a powerful tool for opportunity.
“I wanted to focus on financial literacy as a way of giving individuals who don’t learn these core skills at home a bit of a leg up. Absent these skills, gaps in income and opportunity only increase.”
For James, the experience has been both meaningful and rewarding.
“I’ve loved the content, and the teaching opportunities I’ve had have all been great.”
He recently taught at a downtown shelter, working with men who were getting back on their feet. After one class, a participant stayed behind to talk through debt consolidation and loan forgiveness options.
“I could tangibly sense a relief in his eyes and a lifting of his shoulders … a light at the end of a tough tunnel.”
When it comes to practical advice, James keeps it memorable: “Stay away from anything within five feet of a checkout counter. It’s either overpriced, bad for your health, or both.”
We’re grateful for volunteers like James who are helping build financial confidence and create opportunity one conversation at a time.
If you’re interested in volunteering with Financial Beginnings, we’d love to connect.
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