ORLANDO, Fla. — Professional golfer Maurice Allen is a World Long Drive competitor with a very long list of accolades. His golf career has taken him all over the world and a long way from the community where he grew up but hasn’t forgotten.
“Being a kid from Pine Hills, I really, really hate the fact that majority of the time we’re in the news is something bad. And there’s so many amazing things that happen here. There’s so much amazing potential here,” said Allen
With the help of VyStar Credit Union. Allen is helping 25 children at the Pine Hills Boys & Girls Club maximize their potential through a financial literacy program.
“One of our core giving pillars is to support youth and youth organizations,” said VyStar Credit Union regional community engagement manager Dawn Ofodile.
Club members were surprised with a gift of $1,000 to start an account that they won’t have access to until they turn 21.
Along the way, Allen and VyStar financial experts will help the teenagers with money management and other financial education to help them build strong foundations for investing the seed money.
“We’re also trying to get them into a place where they’re constantly getting used to putting money into those accounts,” Allen said.
They’re not solely focusing on the teenagers, but also their parents, who can sometimes struggle with how to manage money as adults.
“You just don’t know what you’re getting into when you’re in the real world and you get your first paycheck or you have your first rent payment due or you’re trying to buy a car,” Ofodile said.
Working with the teens allows them time to break generational financial pitfalls so that their financial journeys will look different when they graduate from college.
“They may have a business that they need to start in, there may be $15,000 in that account, or it could be something that helps them go and put a down payment on a home, Allen said.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
