Muskegon Goodwill Receives Award for Financial Literacy Game

money works 300x200Goodwill Industries of West Michigan’s (Muskegon) recently developed financial literacy card game won an Excellence in Financial Literacy Education (EIFLE) award for Instructional Game of the Year by the Institute for Financial Literacy. The EIFLE award was created to acknowledge innovation, dedication and a strong commitment to advancing financial education. This award was presented to the Goodwill at the institute’s annual conference in New Orleans on April 9.

“It is an honor to be recognized by the Institute for Financial Literacy for our efforts in providing people in our community with the financial education and money management tools connected to their ultimate success and stability,” said Muskegon Goodwill President and CEO Richard Carlson.

Created by the Goodwill’s MoneyWorks Manager Jane Drake, the interactive game consists of simple playing cards that challenge players to make choices between needs and wants and to balance those with “gots” or income. The game also stresses the importance of budgeting for primary needs such as food, housing, clothing and transportation. In the second-round play, “drat” cards are introduced, representing those unfortunate events that can unexpectedly throw a budget out of balance.

“The game was really developed as a way to generate discussion,” Drake said. “I wanted a fun and engaging ice breaker activity that would introduce the real decisions that have to be made in managing personal finances.”

“MoneyWorks is a mission-based services division of Goodwill that focuses on helping individuals achieve financial wellness by providing one-on-one support and coaching for success in spending, saving, debt reduction, tax preparation assistance and more.

“MoneyWorks is recognized as a respected leader in the field of financial literacy education,” said Institute for Financial Literacy Director of Communications Bryan Wyatt. “This was our most competitive year to date.”