Program Spotlight

LiSA Initiative & Maria Riofrio

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LiSA Initiative Program Profile

The LiSA Initiative, created by First Financial Security (FFS), was designed to address the financial challenges that American women from all walks of life face every day. By providing education, mentorship, and entrepreneurial opportunities, LiSA helps women take control of their lives and make positive changes to achieve financially secure futures.

Today’s citizens still lack even the most basic knowledge of how money works. You’ve probably heard the phrase, “It takes a village.” Well, FFS and the LiSA Initiative believe that – given the current lack of financial literacy in the U.S. – just “a village” is not going to be enough. It will take small communities and neighborhoods; church groups and school boards; government leaders and activists; and everyday people banding together to work toward a common goal. The LiSA Initiative is taking the lead in organizing that charge.

In collaboration with the National Financial Educators Council (NFEC), the LiSA Initiative has trained a team of Certified Financial Education Instructors (CFEI®) to tackle the financial illiteracy issue – one household, one school, one church, and one community center at a time. They bring financial education resources, workshops, and awareness promotions to communities across the nation. The practical lesson plans for adults and children of all ages focus on personal finance issues including budgeting, managing credit and reducing debt, investing basics, estate planning, and retirement strategies. The goal is to provide people, no matter their age or background, with a solid financial education so they can make smart choices about their money and create a secure financial future.

LiSA Initiative & Maria Riofrio

LiSA Initiative Distinguishing Qualities

Community Focus: The initiative is designed to tackle the financial illiteracy issue, one household, one school, one church, one community center at a time.

Inclusion: LiSA is created to give every American access to a financial education regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or background.

Practical Lessons: The lesson plans are designed around real-world money decisions and choices everyone has to make.

Collaboration: LiSA invites community leaders and interested parties from cities and towns across the country to take a seat at the table and come up with financial literacy solutions that work for all individuals, families, and communities.

Accomplishments

Maria Riofrio, who leads the LiSA Initiative with First Financial Security, Inc.®, was selected as the recipient of the prestigious Financial Education Instructor of the Year Award from the NFEC in 2019. Maria was chosen as a result of her dedication to serving people from a diverse range of backgrounds and her commitment to helping people work toward financial wellness. Some of the accomplishments Maria Riofrio and the LiSA Initiative have achieved so far include:

  • Teaching financial literacy programming to teenage boys in a correctional facility in North Carolina.
  • Training financial educators on military bases to empower service members with financial knowledge.
  • Bringing money management education to teens at a transitional home in Roswell, GA.
  • Delivering personalized coaching to individuals living in subsidized housing with a goal to help them become financially independent.
  • Playing a significant role in developing the “Train-the-Trainer” program used to launch the WINDS Wealth Building Centers, community-based centers designed to empower faith-based ministries with financial education training for their members.
  • Working with Cambodian, Laotian, and Hmong communities around the U.S. to teach personal finance and training financial education leaders to continue the effort.
  • Leading financial wellness courses open to all who want to learn in Norcross, GA.
  • Expanding financial wellness resources into both English and Spanish.

Maria Riofrio

NFEC Credentials and Resources

Maria Riofrio has earned credentials as a Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI®) through the NFEC. This certification enhances program credibility, ensures its quality and effectiveness, and instills trust and confidence among participants in the LiSA Initiative. The CFEI® credential ensures that instructors meet stringent educational standards and possess specialized knowledge in personal finance instruction and teaching methods. When a financial wellness initiative is led by such top-quality instructors, it guarantees a high level of instruction tailored to the unique challenges of personal finance education and the specific needs of a given audience.

The LiSA Initiative also takes advantage of the broad scope of validated and tested financial wellness resources the NFEC has to offer. The NFEC provides top-credentialed CFEI® speakers like Maria Riofrio and content development services to customize educational materials to the demographics and learning styles of any target audience. In addition to the internationally-recognized curriculum and personalized lesson plans, campaign resources include presentations, email communication templates, social media posts, advocacy promotions, and newsletters. Powerful data gathering and evaluation tools are available to measure program effectiveness and impact, giving the LiSA Initiative opportunities to make key adjustments and improvements as indicated.

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