Junior Achievement of Oregon and SW Washington Receives $225,000 From KeyBank

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Grant will fund expansion of popular JA BizTown and JA Finance Park simulations, with a focus on inclusion of diverse youth

PORTLAND, OR / ACCESSWIRE / January 24, 2024 / Junior Achievement of Oregon and SW Washington has announced a grant of $225,000 from KeyBank to launch the expansion of its JA Capstone Program. The funds will support upgrades to its S.E. Portland facilities and spearhead a major initiative to serve more Oregon and Washington youth with JA BizTown and JA Finance Park, which provide a proven model for economic empowerment and project-based and experiential learning. During these experiences, students interact within a simulated economy and take on the challenge of managing organizations as they learn more about the various jobs that exist within a community.

JA serves youth throughout the region, with a focus on reaching students who are from low-income families, students in rural areas, young people of color, and historically and currently marginalized youth. This investment from KeyBank will help expand equitable access to JA programs to new student markets and provide tens of thousands of local youth with critical life and career skills. Most of the grant funds will be used to focus on the educational experiences being provided to low-income schools and students.

"KeyBank has long supported JA and its curriculums that provide schools with a fun, engaging and effective program for students," said Josh Lyons, KeyBank's Market President for Oregon and S.W. Washington and Commercial Banking leader. "KeyBank considers financial literacy as an essential skill to succeed in life, and we are impressed with how JA helps students gain critical thinking skills related to budgeting, money management and living within one's means. We look forward to supporting JA's expansion as it aims to provide more equity in educational opportunities and contributes to a skilled workforce."

"We are grateful for the unwavering support and generosity of KeyBank. Their steadfast partnership over the last couple of decades has been instrumental in advancing our mission of promoting our equitable education initiatives," said Barb Smith President/CEO for Junior Achievement of Oregon & SW Washington. "The funding and support provided by KeyBank will empower us to expand our reach and make a meaningful impact on more students' lives. Through their partnership, we are able to inspire and prepare students for success in a global economy and their thriving communities. KeyBank's commitment to our mission has truly made a difference, and we look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts to create a brighter future for the next generation."

About Junior Achievement of Oregon and SW Washington

Junior Achievement of Oregon & SW Washington is a non-profit organization whose core purpose is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. We work in partnership with school and business communities to improve student knowledge in the areas of work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy with an emphasis on serving marginalized youth in the highest needs schools.

About KeyBank

KeyCorp's roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $188 billion at December 31, 2023. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.