City of Fayetteville Proclaims April Financial Literacy Month, Recognizing Money Box Academy’s Work Across the Region

Local nonprofit marks a dedication of community-centered financial education with official city recognition

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — The City of Fayetteville has issued an official proclamation designating April as Financial Literacy Month, citing the ongoing impact of Money Box Academy Inc. and its commitment to economic empowerment across Cumberland County and beyond. The proclamation was presented Monday, April 27, 2026 at 6 p.m. at Fayetteville City Hall.

Founded and led by Fayetteville native Crystal McLean, Money Box Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has delivered financial literacy programming to youth, families, college students, seniors, and faith communities across North Carolina. The organization operates in Charlotte, Raleigh, Robeson, Hoke, Fayetteville, Hope Mills, and Wilmington. In addition, the organization, which been in existence since July 2024, also holds active partnerships with Fayetteville Technical Community College, Fayetteville State University, various Cumberland County Schools, and Miller-Motte College, with future programming planned in partnership with Methodist University.

“This recognition belongs to every instructor, partner, and community member who has stood with us and believed that financial education is not a privilege — it is a right,” said Crystal McLean, Founder and Board President of Money Box Academy.

“When a city says your work matters enough to put it in writing, that is not just an honor. That is a call to keep going.”

Fayetteville City Councilman Malik Davis was instrumental in bringing this proclamation forward,

“I believe deeply in the power of financial literacy to transform communities, and when I think about who embodies that work in Fayetteville, Money Box Academy is at the top of that list,” Davis said.

Money Box Academy’s programming spans economic simulations, credit and debt education, investment literacy, and workforce readiness. Its signature initiatives include the Financial Fit Campus Initiative, designed for college students, and the Money Box Workshop, an interactive financial education experience delivered in community and institutional settings across the region. The organization also has plans to launch an Instructor Academy in the future, designed to train and certify community educators in financial facilitation.

The proclamation comes during an active season for the organization. In April alone, Money Box Academy facilitated workshops at Miller-Motte College, hosted a Digital Financial Readiness Lab for seniors, completed the Financial Bunker Series, a three-night virtual event focused on economic preparedness, and wrapped up a student investment program through the Stock Market Game. Instructors and community partners joined McLean at the ceremony to receive the proclamation alongside her.

Looking ahead, Money Box Academy is partnering with the City of Fayetteville and the Cumberland County Parks and Recreation Department this summer to deliver financial literacy education to summer interns. The program is designed to equip young people entering the workforce with healthy money habits from day one, giving them practical tools around budgeting, saving, and building a financial foundation that will serve them well beyond the summer.

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural High School Financial Bootcamp, which drew significant community attention and was featured in local news coverage, Money Box Academy will launch its second cohort this summer. 

Money Box Founder Crystal McLean, joined by her husband and daughter, attends Fayetteville city council meeting on April 27, 2026 as they recognized Money Box Academy’s commitment to financial literacy during National Financial Literacy Month; Courtesy of Crystal McLean

The bootcamp will be held at Fayetteville Technical Community College from June 8 through June 12, 2026, running each day from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The program is open to high school students across the region and is designed to deliver intensive, hands-on financial education in a format that is engaging, practical, and built around the real financial decisions young people face.

For Financial Literacy Month, Money Box Academy is continuing its community engagement through partnerships with faith communities, K-12 schools, and senior centers throughout the region. Upcoming programming information is available at moneyboxacademy.org.

ABOUT MONEY BOX ACADEMY INC.

Money Box Academy Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Founded by Crystal McLean, the organization delivers shame-free, community-centered financial literacy programming to youth, adults, seniors, and faith communities across North Carolina. 

Money Box Academy’s programs are built on the principle that financial education is a pathway to generational wealth and community resilience, not a luxury for the few. Learn more at moneyboxacademy.org.