Our Community Outreach: 2023

Supporting our community is at the forefront of everything we do. From volunteering at schools to backing local businesses and organizations, our team is busy! Check out what we’ve been up to in the community in 2023 – and don’t forget to check back regularly for new additions.

Volunteering at Puritas Constellation School

Financial literacy starts at an early age. First Federal Lakewood volunteers spent time at Cleveland’s Puritas Constellation School with Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland (JA) to teach first and second graders different topics surrounding finances.

JA is a non-profit organization with a mission to inspire and prepare young people to succeed. Volunteers are prepared by JA staff members to facilitate learning activities that focus on financial literacy, work and career readiness and entrepreneurship. The excitement continued after the event, when kids sent volunteers drawings and letters to thank them for their visit.

Want to get involved? Check out JA’s site(external) for more details.

Financial Literacy Classes at John Marshall High School

There’s nothing more fulfilling than helping students prosper and equipping them with financial literacy skills. In partnership with Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Y.O.U.), our team headed to John Marshall High School in Cleveland to host financial literacy classes for 11th and 12th graders.

Read the full story here.

100 Black Men of Greater Cleveland

First Federal Lakewood has been partnering with the 100 Black Men of Greater Organization for over eight years. The organization’s mission is to provide services for individuals in urban Cleveland and East Cleveland neighborhoods, offering programs that range from mentoring to education, to health and wellness, to economic empowerment.

First Federal Lakewood mentors and the 100 Black Men organization’s mentees attended a Cavaliers game, getting an exciting opportunity to get on the court and shake a few of the players’ hands.

“The Cavaliers organization was very welcoming,” says Eliseo Cruz Garcia, community development officer at First Federal Lakewood. “They came to talk to the group to learn more about them.”

For more information about the 100 Black Men of Greater Cleveland and see how you can get involved, visit their site(external).

Teaching Money Management Skills to Lakewood High School Students

First Federal Lakewood has been partnering with Mr. Lewis’s junior and senior students at Lakewood High School for over seven years. Chalana Williams, SVP, chief community development officer, and Eliseo Cruz-Garcia, community development officer, spent a May morning teaching his students the value of developing good money management skills – all while having a blast!

For even more bank news and community events, follow us on Facebook(external), Instagram(external), LinkedIn(external) and YouTube(external).