Financial Planning Association and the Foundation for Financial Planning to recognize FPA of Metro New York’s pro bono financial planning efforts at the FPA Digital Annual Conference
DENVER (September 10, 2020) – The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®) and the Foundation for Financial Planning (FFP) are pleased to announce FPA of Metro New York as the recipient of the 2020 Power of Financial Planning Award in recognition of their commitment to deliver pro bono financial planning in the spirit of FPA’s Primary Aim: To elevate the profession that transforms lives through the power of financial planning. Now in its second year, the Power of Financial Planning Award, to be celebrated at the FPA Digital Annual Conference, recognizes an FPA chapter and its members’ efforts to provide quality pro bono financial planning and advice to underserved populations during a 12-month period, from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020.
“The entire association is grateful to the FPA of Metro New York for responding to these challenging times by quickly adapting to the new reality so they can continue providing free, no-strings-attached financial planning to those who need help,” says 2020 FPA President Martin C. Seay, Ph.D., CFP®. “The chapter’s unwavering commitment to keep pro bono financial planning at the forefront of their efforts during these unprecedented times is admirable. I’m grateful for their dedication and thank them, on behalf of the entire FPA community, for using financial planning to transform lives.”
FPA of Metro New York was selected as this year’s award winner for its diverse community partnership efforts that aim to improve the lives of individuals in the New York metro area and its surrounding communities, as well as its ability to quickly shift to virtual pro bono programming in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to support a number of nonprofit organizations, including:
- Family Justice Center (FJC): Chapter members provided impactful financial planning and education in both English and Spanish to victims of domestic violence on topics including goal setting, budgeting, credit, investments, insurance and employee benefits, taxes, retirement planning, and more. Domestic violence victims are often not only subjected to physical abuse, but also to financial abuse, as partners control access to money, credit, important financial and identification documents, and more. Even when this is not the case, the victim is often less knowledgeable and confident regarding finances. FPA of Metro New York’s work with FJC addresses this issue, increasing knowledge and confidence amongst those in need.
- Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation (BSRC): Chapter members provided a combination of workshops, training, and one-on-one counseling sessions to low- to moderate- income individuals in Brooklyn, New York, helping them to achieve positive outcomes in banking, debt reduction, building credit, increasing savings, and more. Through this work, FPA of Metro New York supports BSRC’s mission to disrupt the racial wealth divide, particularly in the Central Brooklyn community they serve, in which COVID-19 has also had an outsized impact.
Thirty-nine FPA of Metro New York volunteers provided nearly 70 hours of pro bono financial planning, helping more than 125 individuals discover the value of financial planning over the 12-month period.
“The FPA of Metro New York chapter is honored and humbled to receive this award,” says 2020 FPA of Metro New York Pro Bono Co-Director, Martisha Patterson, CFP®. “Pro bono is an important and integral part of fulfilling the FPA's mission. Although we provide this service to the more affluent members of the community, we know how important it is for everyone. This is why pro bono work is so appealing to our members, who inspire me each and every day."
Seven FPA chapters were nominated for this year’s award, including FPA of Dallas/Ft. Worth, FPA of Metro New York, FPA of New Jersey, FPA of Orange County, FPA of San Francisco, FPA of Silicon Valley and FPA of the National Capital Area. Representatives from FPA and FFP recommended, and the FPA Board of Directors approved, FPA of Metro New York as the recipient of the 2020 Power of Financial Planning Award.
"We applaud the FPA of Metro New York for supporting FFP's mission of helping people in need improve their financial lives,” said Jon Dauphiné, CEO of FFP. “Volunteering their time and their skills, chapter members have provided vulnerable individuals and families with objective, trusted, financial planning and advice, helping to lessen their financial burdens and enabling them to make more educated financial decisions.”
FPA of Metro New York will be honored at the 2020 FPA Annual Conference, to be held Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, 2020. Journalists interested in learning more about the award or speaking with a representative from FPA, FFP, or FPA of Metro New York, can contact Ryanne Harrah at 303-867-7151 or RHarrah@OneFPA.org.
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About the Financial Planning Association
The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®) is the principal membership organization for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM professionals, educators, financial services professionals and students who are committed to elevating the profession that transforms lives through the power of financial planning. With a focus on the practice, business and profession of financial planning, FPA advances financial planning practitioners through every phase of their careers, from novice to master to leader of the profession. Learn more about FPA at FinancialPlanningAssociation.org and follow on Twitter at twitter.com/fpassociation.
About Foundation for Financial Planning
The Foundation for Financial Planning is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) charitable organization, solely devoted to supporting the delivery of pro bono financial planning to at-risk populations, including active military members and wounded veterans, people with cancer and other serious medical diagnoses, seniors and family caregivers, low-income individuals and their families, domestic violence survivors and many more. Dedicated to powering pro bono financial planning, FFP has provided more than $7 million in grants to national and community-based pro bono programs; worked with partners to activate more than 22,000 financial planners to volunteer their time and talents; and acted as a leader and catalyst to embed a rich tradition of pro bono service across the financial planning profession. Visit FFPprobono.org to learn more.