Kiducation Community Center, a non-profit organization in Wellsville, has been awarded a Department of Commerce Division of Financial Institutions Financial Literacy Education Grant in the amount of $6,150.

Kiducation was one of eight out of 156 applicants to be awarded a portion of the $50,000 grant.

“We are very honored that they chose us and chose our programming,” Jamie Mitchell, owner, said. “I think it’s going to be very beneficial for the lower income area that we are in, and I’m excited to see how the program gets.”

Mitchell also noted that she is excited to see how the program goes, as it is something new, and she believes it will open doors for the children in the community.

According to a media release from the department of commerce, the grant is designed to address gaps in financial literacy education and help foster long-term economic success.

“These grants are critical to helping ensure the next generation of Ohioans is equipped with the education and skills they need to understand the complexities of finances, which is vital to achieving financial security and prosperity,” Sherry Maxfield, director of the Ohio Department of Commerce, said. “We extend our gratitude to these and the many other organizations across the state for the important work they are doing to educate and prepare Ohio’s youth to lead fulfilling and successful lives, which will help to further strengthen Ohio in the years to come.”

The center will use the funds to support financial literacy, and the youth entrepreneurship programs with projects like a youth-led farmers market and micro business ventures where they will get hands-on experience with money and small business management.

Mitchell and Kiducation co-owner Aubrey Bach plan to use the funds for several projects focusing on teaching children financial literacy.

According to Mitchell, they were hoping to receive the grant earlier if they were awarded to let the children plant a garden and then do a farmers market with the produce they grow. This project will now be done next spring. In the meantime, Mitchell said she will be having investors come in and speak to the children over the summer, as well as hold child financial literacy classes to teach the children about savings and money and things related to financial literacy. During the winter months the children will make bath bombs and hygiene products to be opened to the public so kids can run their own little shop.

All the funds raised from the children’s project will go into a special account and the children at the center will decide how the money will be used for the Kiducation Community Center.

These products will be geared toward children in kindergarten and up.

“Our main goal is just to teach them good money habits and how important it is to save early in life and how it will benefit them in the future,” Mitchell said. “It’s also to teach them how to spend money wisely. A lot of adults are so careless with money and have no back up in an emergency. This is teaching them the foundation of money early on.”

kgarabrandt@mojonews.com