Project Amistad — Money Basics (Cents and Sensibility)

Project Goal
Increase the money management skills of people with developmental disabilities (DD) so they can effectively manage their money and have more control over their lives

Project Summary
Project Amistad will develop financial literacy training materials for people with DD that can be modified to serve individual learning styles. The project will partner with local banks and credit unions to enhance the training materials. Project Amistad intends to provide training to up to 250 people throughout the duration of the project. 

The project’s training curriculum will focus on financial literacy topics, including:

• creating monthly budgets;
• opening savings and checking accounts;
• protecting oneself from identity theft; and
• applying for student loans and monitoring repayment plans.
    

Money management requires two things: knowledge and tools. Knowledge is critical to understand how money and finances work. Tools are important for people to practice and use what they’ve learned. When people with DD have the skills to manage their money, they’ll be more likely to save for the future, stay out of debt, and ultimately have more control over their own lives.