BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Regions Bank today announced the return of the Regions Financial Fitness Fridays program. Throughout the month of January, Regions will host over 350 events designed to help people improve their financial fitness in the New Year. Regions will also share financial education through online, social media and video platforms. The information and events are available to the general public, regardless of whether participants are Regions customers. “Our goal is to help more people develop the essential skills of setting a budget, building their savings, planning for retirement and more,” said Carol Clarke, manager of the Regions Financial Education Institute. “Financial education can lead to improved outcomes when it’s timely and relevant. But we see that, many times, people may be reluctant to reach out for assistance. We’ve developed Financial Fitness Fridays to offer advice, guidance and education in a welcoming, informative environment. And our online, social media and video components will help us reach more people by placing this information in the palm of their hand whenever it’s convenient for them.” This marks the fourth year Regions is offering Financial Fitness Fridays. Information shared during the program is designed to benefit individual consumers as well as businesses. Financial education events will be hosted in various Regions branches and other facilities in dozens of communities served by Regions. Online financial fitness information will be shared on RegionsBankNews.com as well as through @RegionsBank on Twitter and the Regions Bank Facebook page. Social media users can join the conversation by using the hashtag #FinancialFitness. Consumers can also receive financial advice, guidance and education through the “Insights” section of Regions.com and a series of “financial workout” videos on the Regions Financial YouTube page. Regions is also helping its associates improve their own financial fitness in 2016. The company is offering a series of interactive modules, in-person seminars, videos, infographics and financial fitness “check-ups” designed to help associates create better financial outcomes for themselves and their families. While Financial Fitness Fridays lasts for one month each year, Regions’ commitment to financial education is year-round. Recent examples include:
- Over 59,000 “Regions at Work” financial education presentations were delivered to various audiences throughout the communities served by Regions from January through November 2015.
- Regions’ Online Financial Learning Center, with content provided by the EverFi education technology company, had nearly 6,100 new users enrolled during the 2014 – 2015 academic year, an increase of 26 percent compared to the previous year.
- Regions worked with the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) to develop an innovative collegiate financial education curriculum for student athletes. The curriculum can serve as a model for similar programs serving students at a variety of educational institutions.
- As the official bank of the Southeastern Conference, Regions supported additional financial education outreach for athletes at Ole Miss, as well as athletes from the University of Alabama, the University of Florida, the University of Missouri and Mississippi State University. Additional outreach is planned in 2016.
- Regions maintains corporate-level sponsorships for several Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with a focus on financial education opportunities. The HBCUs include Alabama State University, Alabama A&M University, Clark Atlanta University, Florida A&M University, Jackson State University, Morehouse College and Tennessee State University.
- Over 300 new pieces of “Insights” financial advice, guidance and education content were developed for Regions.com in 2015. The material is available to anyone, regardless of whether the user has an account with Regions.
- Regions developed 16 Regions Financial Fundamentals seminars in English and Spanish.
Regions also works closely with community partners and nonprofit organizations to share cost-free financial education with students and adults. Organizations interested in taking advantage of complimentary financial education programs are encouraged to visit any Regions Bank branch or make an appointment through Regions.com.