ST. PAUL, Minn.– Teens will participate in financial literacy workshops as a part of their employment at a celebrated North Minneapolis non-profit bakery, thanks to grant funding from the Affinity Plus Foundation.
For nearly two generations, Cookie Cart has provided teens ages 15 to 18 with real-world business skills, leadership training and an opportunity to participate in their neighborhood economy, said Matt Halley, Cookie Cart executive director.
The foundation grant will help strengthen the bakery’s workshops and classes, Halley said.
“Getting a first steady paycheck is a brand-new experience for many young people in the Cookie Cart program. Because of that, financial literacy is a crucial life skill,” he said. “Affinity Plus’ workshops will help teens learn to distinguish wants from needs, how to create budgets, understand checking accounts, the importance of saving and more.”
Amy Hanson, foundation executive director, said Cookie Cart’s business model and employee programming “align really well with our foundation’s mission to support financial education. We’re pleased to partner with Cookie Cart to help start the teens on a solid path to economic self-sufficiency.”
Below, from left, Camron, Nou, Keshya and Richer smile as they show off earnings from working at Cookie Cart, a North Minneapolis non-profit bakery. The Affinity Plus Foundation recently awarded Cookie Cart grant funding so it can blend financial-literacy workshops and classes with the real-world experience teens ages 15-18 receive there.