Pathway Financial Education Offers Free Courses to Kansas City Residents

April is Financial Literacy Month, a time to recognize the importance of money management and financial stability. LISC Greater Kansas City (LISC KC) would like to highlight Pathway Financial Education, a community organization providing various free programs that teach Kansas City residents how to secure financial stability.

Financial literacy is the ability to understand financial management, budgeting and investing. LaTasha Jacobs, executive director of Pathway Financial Education, is a Kansas City resident and community leader dedicated to closing the racial wealth gap. Within the past three years, the racial gap has grown. Education is one of the top determinants of that growth.

“It's due to lack of [financial] education, understanding and access to resources,” Jacobs said. “With Pathway Financial Education, we are able to bridge that gap as much as we can and offer the basics when it comes to personal finances or your business.”

The different programs that the organization offers are specifically directed toward small business owners and high school students, and there is also an adult program.

The youth program is an innovative approach to educating high school students on how to manage debt and student loans. An element of the program is Career Keys. This segment teaches students career mapping, turning their passions into careers and healthy spending lifestyles. Additionally, the organization is working on a summer camp program for youth with Operation Breakthrough, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing quality care to children living in poverty.

“The biggest passion that I have is educating the youth because we can curb some of the mistakes that many young adults make,” Jacobs said. “We can change that by starting the conversation early and planting the seeds early by providing resources available to them.”

Other opportunities include the personal finance for Adult and Small Business programs, where participants take part in different workshops and gain mentorship from industry experts. When it comes to the Small Business program, they help aspiring business owners decide if entrepreneurship is the right choice, if there's a need within the industry they’re looking to impact and how to navigate business expenses to build sustainable businesses.

“I think that there is a misunderstanding of the resources available. All of our programs are at no cost to participants,” Jacobs said. “Breaking or changing a participant’s negative mindset around finances is our biggest hurdle as an organization.”

In addition to its programs, the organization offers various online events including homeownership training, estate planning and credit repair workshops. Since the classes are virtual, anyone from any part of the U.S. can join. If a community member does not have access to a digital device, they can take the class in person.

The organization is working with LISC KC to develop a partnership. Other existing partnerships include the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, the Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce and Great Jobs KC, formerly known as Kansas City Scholars.

Through Pathway Financial Education, Jacobs anticipates more small businesses growing and more individuals maintaining financial security for the betterment of the community.

“A lot of that is going to come from financial education,” Jacobs said. “We can't avoid everything, but if we are aware of the resources that we have available and how we can manage those resources, I do believe that we can turn the tide for Kansas City residents,” Jacobs said.

If you need assistance with budgeting, financial debt, credit or money management, please visit https://pathwayeducation.org/ or walk-in during its office hours.