If your bank account could talk, what would it say?
That’s the icebreaker that Just in Time’s Financial Fitness Coordinator, Rebecca, posed to attendees of the Financial Fitness 102 kickoff event.

From the approximately 16 coaches and participants in attendance, the answers ranged from “You’re doing alright” to “Girrrl, FEED ME!”

JIT’s Financial Fitness service invites participants to connect with volunteer coaches in the JIT community to learn financial literacy, including concepts related to opening a first bank account, saving for a big purchase, repairing credit, budgeting and even retirement – we meet participants wherever they’re at on their journey.

The one-hour workshop was especially valuable for the face-to-face connection it offered. The chance to get to know each other in person helps build trust as participants move on to tackling sensitive money issues that often require a certain level of confident vulnerability.

Throughout the workshop, participants and coaches alike were asked to reflect on their values and past experiences and to ask how those topics influenced their relationship with money.

The session included a focus on creating SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound—setting the tone for eight weeks of growth, accountability, and community.

Elisa Chavez and coach Dave Clark (left) and Amairany Macias and coach Jennifer Fry (right) connect during JIT’s Financial Fitness 102 kickoff workshop