(l to r) Benchmark Federal Credit Union‘s Chris Breslin and Chester County Food Bank’s Alex Gomez are all smiles after Benchmark FCU presented a financial literacy workshop to community members enrolled in the FRESHstart Kitchen program hosted by the Chester County Food Bank.
Benchmark Federal Credit Union is partnering to present financial literacy workshops to community members enrolled in the FRESHstart Kitchen program hosted by the Chester County Food Bank. The FRESHstart Kitchen is a culinary arts workforce development training program providing a pathway out of poverty.
“The ‘fresh’ in FRESHstart stands for Focusing Resources on Employment, Self-Sufficiency and Health, and we truly appreciate the volunteer work of Benchmark Federal Credit Union to support and assist our students as they continue on this promising path to success,” said Andrea Youndt, CEO of Chester County Food Bank.
The Benchmark FCU financial workshops, most recently held on October 3, cover topics such as budget management and credit report review. The workshops aim to support FRESHstart trainees who are experiencing barriers to gain confidence and skills as they begin careers in the restaurant industry.
“This is our third year as a community partner with Chester County Food Bank, supporting programming all year long including the FRESHstart Kitchen program,” said Daniel J. Machon, Jr., President and CEO of Benchmark Federal Credit Union. “We’re always open to educating our community on financial literacy, especially in this volatile interest rate environment when so many are struggling to support themselves and their families.”
Through its Benchmark Cares initiative, Benchmark FCU has also provided financial literacy programs to the Chester County Single Mothers’ Conference, which it has title sponsored for the past nine years, as well as North Star of Chester County, Home of the Sparrow and soon the Fund for Women and Girls.
Rebecca Worthington, Vice President of Community Relations at Benchmark Federal Credit Union, added, “We offer financial services to many nonprofits across Chester County. They work solely for the benefit of Chester County residents, as do we, as the only federal credit union to exclusively serve Chester County. We devote all of our resources to Chester County, knowing that we all have the same goal in mind: providing for the well-being of residents and businesses within our local community.”
