Michigan Chronicle
Amber Ogden
Sept. 9, 2024
Bank of America has teamed up with SER Metro-Detroit to launch a mobile financial center at the Samaritan Center. The center will offer accessible banking services, financial wellness education, credit counseling, personalized meetings with specialists, and insights into the latest digital banking tools—all aimed at empowering the local community with financial literacy and convenience.
The mobile financial center offers a wide range of services to Detroit residents. It provides the same services at permanent branches, including assistance setting up accounts. In addition, the mobile center offers free financial education and personalized advice from specialists and credit counselors.
These experts help individuals learn how to manage their finances effectively and offer guidance to business owners on enhancing their financial acumen. Their services cover various aspects such as saving, spending, borrowing, and investing to help people achieve their financial goals.
Star Crawford, Market Executive for Bank of America Detroit, emphasized that her core mission is to grow and protect the financial well-being of Bank of America Detroit clients and the Detroit community, including residents who are unbanked or underbanked.
“Through our community-centered approach, we focus on empowering our neighbors wherever they are on their financial journey by building trust, confidence, and financial know-how. These mobile banking centers, operated in partnership with our essential nonprofit partners, including SER Metro-Detroit, are an important part of that mission,” Crawford said.
Bank of America will be offering the following services at the mobile financial center:
- Financial education classes and specialty workshops: Covering topics such as budgeting and banking, saving, building healthy credit, homebuying, and starting and growing a business. These sessions will be facilitated by certified Bank of America employees using Better Money Habits resources and tools.
- Financial well-being counselors: Sessions on money management and credit, helping clients create customized plans, budgeting, increasing savings and improving credit scores.
- On-site financial specialists: Including Business Community Officers and home lending advisors, providing tailored financial solutions and advice to meet individual needs.
- Digital expo: Highlighting Bank of America’s mobile and online banking capabilities. Visitors can also experience the Financial Literacy Simulator, an interactive tool that teaches how to save, build credit and manage monthly budget through an online simulated gaming experience.
Over the last decade, Bank of America has generously allocated $45.3 million in grants to various non-profit organizations in Michigan. These grants have been instrumental in fostering economic development, strengthening communities, promoting employment, and advancing educational initiatives across the state.
Eva Garza Dewaelsche, President and CEO of SER Metro-Detroit, emphasized the common goal between SER Metro-Detroit and Bank of America in offering robust workforce opportunities for Detroit residents. They aim to provide the necessary training for residents to excel in their careers and acquire the financial knowledge essential for their prosperity.
“Our resource fair will showcase the city resources that can help residents achieve their goals, and the career and jobs fair will feature employers in Metro Detroit who are hiring for in-demand occupations. Both events will be open to the entire community and we look forward to welcoming residents and helping them on their financial and career journeys,” Dewaelsche said.
The mobile financial center will be on-site at Samaritan Center, located at 5555 Conner Street, Detroit, MI 48213, from Tuesday, Sept. 10 to Wednesday, Sept. 11, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday, Sept. 12 to Friday, Sept. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition, SER Metro-Detroit will offer a resource fair at the Samaritan Center from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10, and host a career and jobs fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12. For more information, visit, bettermoneyhabits.bankofamerica.com