Our society has a giant problem: most people are financially illiterate. And it’s not even their fault. Because we don’t learn how to manage money as kids, we are easily convinced by corporations to go into debt as young adults—buying things we don’t need, with money we don’t have, to impress people we don’t like.
Then we spend years mired in the mess we’ve made: credit-card debt, student loans, car payments, and the myriad other ways we borrow from our future. The average indebted American household has $97,775 in non-mortgage debt. Gross! But if we can teach students to stay out of debt, we can end the suffering that is compounded by debt.
That’s why The Minimalists are partnering with Ramsey Education this year (2022) to bring the Foundations in Personal Finance curriculum to every school in our hometown, Dayton, Ohio.
Would you be willing to help us?
Over the past decade, The Minimalists and our audience have contributed to nine philanthropic projects, including building two orphanages, providing relief to American hurricane victims, constructing an elementary school, and establishing a nonprofit grocery co-op in one of the largest food deserts in the United States.
This year, with your help, we will teach personal finance to every middle- and high-school student in Dayton. (If we meet our $40K goal quickly, we’ll expand to other cities across the United States.)
Foundations in Personal Finance teaches students proven money principles that will set them up for a debt-free life. But many school districts don’t have funding for the resources they need.
That’s how you can help—by purchasing the curriculum for just one child (or multiple children if you’re feeling generous). A $25 contribution provides the curriculum for one middle-school student, and $45 covers one high-school student (or you can give as little as $5). By contributing, you’ll equip these kids with the money tools they need to start their adult lives the right way. Donate here.
To be clear, The Minimalists won’t earn any money from this project. Every penny will be used to pay for the student curriculum. In fact, Ryan and I are personally giving $2,500 of our own money to fund the first 100 students.
Please help us change the future for these kids today. Find all the details, frequently asked questions, and our fundraiser progress bar here. After you contribute, we’ll email you updates about the impact your contribution making on students’ lives.
