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On November 7th, we celebrated Financial Literacy Month with our 2nd Annual Launch Okanagan Breakfast Fundraiser. Nearly 200 guests from the finance, non-profit and business community attended to support access to financial literacy in the Okanagan. Guests started their day by mingling over a canapé breakfast at the Coast Capri Hotel. Following this, they learned about Launch Okanagan’s work and the importance of finance literacy in our community.

This year’s special guest was Nancy Phillips. Nancy is the award-winning author of Wela Way Financial Life Skills resources – accredited by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada and FINRA in the U.S. She is a international business consultant and Founder of Wela Strategic Consulting. Her informative and timely presentation topic was Hope and Possibility in Challenging Financial Times: Powerful and Shareable Tips for Improving Personal Well-Being Now. We were lucky to have her join us!

Not only did Nancy deliver a wonderful presentation, she was also generous enough to license two of her financial life skills books to Launch. 100% of the proceeds from these books will support Launch Okanagan’s work in the community. The books are available to be purchased here.

Local financial services community gathers this November for Financial Literacy Month

October 24, 2023  – Launch Okanagan welcomes financial life skills advocate and author, Nancy Phillips, on November 7, 2023 as the keynote speaker at their 2^nd annual breakfast fundraiser.

The Launch Okanagan Breakfast, presented by TD Bank Group, will host hundreds of local business and financial services community members gathering at the Coast Capri Hotel to celebrate Financial Literacy Month and support financial literacy programs in our region.

Nancy is the award-winning author of Wela Way Financial Life Skills resources – accredited by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada and FINRA in the U.S. She is an international business consultant and has been featured in the Globe and Mail and over 70 radio shows. Her presentation experience includes speaking live for Raymond James U.S., Mindvalley University, Canada Life Insurance and more.

“The majority of Canadians are now experiencing financial challenges and stress,” says Nancy Phillips. “It has never been more important to discuss the human factors involved and provide solutions for daily life so this vicious cycle doesn’t continue in our community and country. This is what we’re going to talk about November 7^th.”

This year’s event will feature a unique mix and mingle breakfast reception sponsored by the CFA Society Okanagan. The fundraiser includes an online 50/50 raffle and topical presentations with all proceeds supporting the maintenance and expansion of Launch Okanagan programs in our community.

Last year, Launch Okanagan delivered 37 programs and collaborated with 20 local program partners enabling 695 participants to take part free of charge. This year, they expanded their services to offer one hour community workshops to complement the financial education programs. The majority of participants are youth, single moms and dads, families, and other individuals who develop crucial money management and budgeting skills allowing them to prepare and plan for a more resilient financial future for their families.

Tickets and tables are nearly sold out. Get your breakfast and 50/50 tickets at: http://launchbreakfast.ca

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Launch Okanagan’s workshops sponsored by MNP will run this fall on Zoom

October 16, 2023 (Kelowna, BC) – Participate in Financial Literacy Month by reviewing your finances.  Sponsored by MNP, Launch Okanagan is hosting free, one-hour Zoom workshops on November 9 and 23 starting at 6:30 pm. Everyone is welcome!

Launch My Budget is the first in the two-part series. Participants will learn how to create a budget and, more importantly, how to stick to it. They will review the steps to follow when creating a budget and will be given some tips and tools to help them integrate budgeting into their life. After the workshop, all participants will be provided with a budgeting guide and other tools and resources to help keep their budget organized and up to date.

Managing Debt 101 is the second workshop that tackles the big, and often stressful, topic of debt. Many Canadians struggle to talk about money, especially when it involves discussing debt. This workshop helps participants take a step back, review their debt situation, and create strategies on how to work on repaying and taking control of their debt.

“At MNP, we believe that financial literacy is a key component to personal and community success, and we are proud to partner with Launch Okanagan to bring these workshops to our community,” says Jeané Herman, Kelowna Licensed Insolvency Trustee. “Through this partnership, our goal is to provide individuals with practical tools and resources to take control of their finances, to reduce stress, and to build a better future for themselves and their families.”

Both workshops will be delivered on Zoom and facilitated by Jennifer Robins, Executive Director of Launch Okanagan. If you can’t join either workshop live, you can still register, and you will be emailed a recording of the class and any related materials. You may choose to join one or both workshops, and all levels of participation are welcome. Participants can choose to interact and ask questions or simply listen and be an anonymous participant.

“At Launch Okanagan, we understand the real challenges that people are currently facing with their finances,” says Jennifer Robins, Executive Director.  “Now more than ever it’s important to learn practical financial skills that you can put into action right away.  Building your financial skills will also help to build your confidence and ability to make sound financial decisions.“

To register, visit https://launchokanagan.ca/workshops or contact Launch Okanagan at [email protected].

Launch Okanagan offers free online financial education program 

September 13, 2023 – Does thinking about money or looking at your bills cause you stress and anxiety? Are you worrying about how to financially prepare for the unexpected or how to save for your future? If you want to learn skills to feel in control of your finances, you’re in luck! Launch Okanagan is beginning another session of the Dollars and Sense program – a free, eight-week condensed money management program for anyone wanting to better understand everyday financial matters.  

The course begins September 27, 2023 and covers budgeting, saving and investing, credit and debit management, consumerism, and your relationship with money. Classes run on Wednesday evenings on Zoom, and participation is open to any individual needing money management mentorship. 

“The Dollars and Sense program is suited for anyone that wants to improve their financial situation and learn strategies on how to manage their money more effectively,” says Jennifer Robins, Executive Director of Launch Okanagan.  

Experienced professionals teach the course, including certified financial planners, providing participants with the tools to build financial stability. Program accessibility for participants is a priority of Launch Okanagan so they allow registrants to sign-up anonymously, removing the stigma from money matters.  

The feedback from former program participants illustrates the impact of the program. A recent program graduate said: “It’s not an exaggeration to say this course has changed my life! I’m no longer afraid to look at my finances, make decisions about them or ask for help doing so.” 

With the current economic outlook, the rate of inflation, and fear of further interest rate hikes, there’s no better time to focus on your finances. Join the program to learn what is negatively impacting your financial wellness and what steps you can take to reduce money stress and build financial security. The Dollars & Sense program empowers through education and mentorship, giving you control of your finances so you can achieve your goals.  

The next Dollars and Sense program begins on September 27, 2023, from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Anyone interested in improving their money management skills and planning for a more secure financial future is welcome!  

To register, visit launchmyfuture.ca, or contact Launch Okanagan at [email protected].   

It’s hard to believe that this past year has flown by so quickly!  Our fiscal year ended on May 31, so the summer months are the perfect time for us to reflect on the progress that we made this year and the impact we have had.  We truly have a lot to be grateful for.

Our busiest year ever

To say that last year has been our busiest year since Launch began in 2009 is an understatement; We were able to serve more participants, offer more programs, and teach for more hours than ever!

While I’m proud to say we supported 695 people this year, that number doesn’t really register for me.  Instead, I think of the names and faces of people that I have had the privilege of meeting and working with throughout the year. People that have shared their stories and have been open to learning new things to improve their current financial situation.

I have met newcomers to Canada that have been here only weeks and are trying to establish their banking in Canada.  I have met new moms with infants in their arms that are interested in learning more about RESPs and how to help their children have the post-secondary education that wasn’t available for them.  I have met people that have found themselves in very difficult situations and these situations have negatively impacted their finances.

No matter the circumstances, what continues to impress me and make me even more passionate about the work that we do, is when I see people learning and then taking action to improve their financial situation.

We hear over and over again, “No one has talked to me about money or taught me how to manage it before.”  This feedback motivates us to continuously improve the content and accessibility of our services. Since May 2020, have offered our programs on Zoom and every year we facilitate our 8-week Dollars and Sense on Zoom 2-3 times throughout the year.  However, we felt that offering a one-hour budgeting workshop with additional resources would be of interest to our community, and we were right! Stay tuned for more details about our upcoming workshops, including our Managing Debt workshop this fall.

Our first breakfast fundraiser

This year, we held our inaugural fundraiser breakfast event during Financial Literacy Month in November.  It was such a success that we are hosting our 2^nd annual Financial Literacy breakfast on Tuesday, November 7^th.  Please come join us to listen to our local speaker, Nancy Phillips.  She is quite possibly, the most passionate person I have ever met when it comes to communicating the importance of having a financial education, especially for children and youth.  This is our main fundraiser for the year and all funds raised go to support our local programs.

Unfortunately, our programs are needed now more than ever.  We know that having a financial education makes a difference and helps people make sound financial decisions and reduce money stress.  That stress has serious consequences on people’s mental health, physical health, relationships, and ability to work.  Your support truly makes a difference.
Thank you for following along on our journey this year.  I look forward to sharing our progress and what we are up to throughout this year.

I hope to see you in November!

Jennifer Robins
Executive Director, Launch Okanagan