Enactus teams at Lambton College, St. Lawrence College and University of Ottawa teach money management skills to improve economic opportunities for their communities.
MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO (March 10, 2015) – Three Enactus teams have been named 2015 Capital One Financial Education Challenge Regional Champions by this country’s largest student leadership development organization, Enactus Canada, and proud program supporter, Capital One Canada.
Teams at Lambton College, St. Lawrence College and University of Ottawa are driving positive change through the following community empowerment projects:
Lambton College took home a championship title for their Strength in Numbers project which transformed the lives of 49 women by securing them employment or empowering them to return to school. Through this financial education program, these same women reduced their total debt by $84,600 and saved an additional $28,200 for expenditures such as purchasing a home or paying for their children’s education.
St. Lawrence College (SLC) was named a champion for their project, Food Cents, which teaches students how to eat healthy even on the tightest of budgets. This year over 24 Food Cents seminars have been delivered to students from SLC, educating over 600 people to take control of their financial and food security.
University of Ottawa won a regional championship for Ottawa Sports Officials, an employment and professional development program that provides financial education and job opportunities for people in need. Certifying homeless men and women to referee soccer, the program has trained six participants, who now have an average monthly income of $1,690.
“Through this challenge, the Enactus students are having real impacts on the people they touch by empowering them to make informed financial choices,” said Brent Reynolds, Vice President, Capital One Canada. “At Capital One, we seek to support programs that are driving tangible change in the community and this challenge has proven itself to be a great fit.”
The Capital One Financial Education Challenge is a national competition empowering post-secondary students to develop and deliver projects that teach relevant financial skills. In the last three years, this challenge has engaged 2,955 students across the country, resulting in the delivery of 367 financial education outreach projects and directly impacting 40,784 community participants.
Student teams demonstrated the impact of their financial education projects to panels of business executives on March 9 in Mississauga as part of the Enactus Canada Regional Exposition – Central Canada. The winning Enactus teams stood out to the judges because of their dedication to empowering people in need within their community.
“Through these projects, our student teams are transforming lives and building a more sustainable country,” said Nicole Almond, Enactus Canada president. “We are incredibly proud of our student leaders and their work to empower people across Canada through financial literacy education.”
These teams will now move on to the national level of competition taking place May 11-13 at the 2015 Enactus Canada National Exposition in Toronto, Ontario.
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ABOUT ENACTUS CANADA: Enactus Canada, this country’s largest student leadership development organization, is shaping generations of entrepreneurial leaders who are passionate about advancing the economic, social and environmental health of Canada. Guided by academic advisors and business experts, more than 2,400 entrepreneurial postsecondary students led 250 community empowerment projects and business ventures this past year in communities coast to coast. As a global network of 36 countries, Enactus uses the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better, more sustainable world. For more information, visit enactus.ca.
ABOUT CAPITAL ONE: With offices in Toronto and Montreal, Capital One Canada has been offering Canadian consumers a range of competitive MasterCard credit cards since 1996. We challenge ourselves to see the world through the eyes of our customers, so we can deliver the market leading credit products and exceptional service they’re looking for. Capital One Canada is a division of Capital One Bank, a subsidiary of Capital One Financial Corporation of McLean, Virginia (NYSE: COF). Capital One is committed to investing in youth in our communities through program investment and the skills and dedication of our talented associates.
Media Inquiries:
Jody Lundrigan
Director of Communications
Enactus Canada
E: jody@enactus.ca
P:416.304.1566 ext.222
M: 416.346.0131