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Beat the Odds Against Them and Saved for Her Son's Future

Richar was only six, but he had a savings account, and he was proud of it. Growing up in an area where 61% of children were living in poverty, Richar had an opportunity to improve his economic future. His mom, Darlene, was orphaned at the age of seven and grew up in state facilities. “I never thought of college for myself,” she said, “but for my son, it’s a different story.” She enrolled him in CFED’s SEED program at the Harlem Children’s Zone to begin saving and learning about managing his finances, so that one day he would have the means to make his own decisions about the future.

With her husband on disability, providing for the family and saving was often difficult. The Harlem Children’s Zone helped Darlene to buy food when she was out of money, and also referred her to an adult education class to pursue her GED. She regularly came to adult financial education classes offered by the SEED program, where she earned additional savings toward Richar’s account for attendance. When she had savings, Darlene and her husband took Richar to Carver Bank to make deposits into his account.

Richar exceeded all expectations in his first-grade classroom at the Zone’s Promise Academy, and dreams of attending Stanford University when he grows older. “It’s a fantastic feeling knowing that the money I’m depositing is going toward my son’s future,” said Darlene. “I want him to know education is the most important thing.”