Dan Marino Foundation Launches Unique Financial Literacy Program for Individuals with Disabilities

Fort Lauderdale, FL and Cherry Hill, NJ –  The Dan Marino Foundation this week launched a new financial literacy program that provides free lessons available to all, but specifically designed for individuals with disabilities, with the goal of providing everyone with the opportunity to more successfully and independently navigate their lives and personal finances.

The program leverages TD Bank‘s entire suite of Adaptive Financial Education lessons and is made possible by a grant from the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®.

“It’s amazing the opportunity TD Bank and the TD Charitable Foundation have given individuals to access this financial literacy program on EduEx, the Foundation’s virtual learning platform, at no cost, paving the way to financial independence for those with autism and other developmental disabilities,” said Mary Partin, CEO of Dan Marino Foundation.

“We are incredibly proud to work with the Dan Marino Foundation to make financial literacy resources free and widely available. By working with the Dan Marino Foundation to utilize TD’s adaptive financial literacy program, we are equipping these individuals with the knowledge and skills they need to live their lives with greater financial confidence and independence,” Nick Miceli, Florida Regional President at TD Bank and Board Member of the TD Charitable Foundation.

The new program offers online lessons that provide a better understanding of how to create a budget, file taxes, pay bills, set up traditional savings accounts, and establish savings goals. Lessons help users learn about financial institutions to reduce dependence on alternative financial services such as payday loans and check to cash. Also included are steps on how to purchase a car, apply for a loan, gain access to credit, and better understand investing.

The Dan Marino Foundation leverages EduEx to deliver this program, as well as a number of valuable online courses, resources, and tools such as classes in social skill training, self-advocacy, and career exploration/development for individuals with disabilities.

By providing these resources, the Dan Marino Foundation hopes to empower individuals to be successful in employment and achieve greater independence. The fully immersive platform offers gamification, custom-made curriculums, and self-paced lessons for more effective and interactive delivery.

About the Dan Marino Foundation: Founded by Dan and Claire Marino shortly after their son, Michael, was diagnosed with autism in 1992, the Dan Marino Foundation has a long and distinguished history of life-changing programs and services, with the mission to “empower individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.” The Foundation has raised more than $87.5 million to create and support unique and impactful initiatives. Among these are the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Dan Marino Outpatient Center, the Marino Autism Research Institute, Marino Adapted Aquatics, and the Marino Campus post-secondary school. Utilizing technology as a game-changer, the Foundation is at the forefront of creating award-winning technologies, utilizing virtual and mixed reality to build job interview and social skills practice (VI|ready), and EduEx, a virtual learning online platform offering employability, financial, and independent living competencies.

About the TD Charitable Foundation: The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States. Since its inception in 2002, the Foundation has distributed over $200 million and more than 19,400 grants through donations to local nonprofits from Maine to Florida. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation, including the online grant application, is available at TDBank.com.

Featured image: Pavel Danilyuk, Pexels.