Guardian and EVERFI team up on ‘Minding Your Money’ financial wellness courses

New York, N.Y. - Guardian Life and EVERFI from Blackbaud announce the April 6 launch of “Minding Your Money: Skills for Life,” a first-of-its-kind financial wellness curriculum that addresses the intersections of personal finances, relationships, and health and that helps young people learn lasting financial habits before they enter adulthood.

Minding Your Money, designed for high school students, pushes beyond financial literacy to
instill the habits, confidence, and willingness to make sound financial decisions before they are
called upon to work full-time, borrow, or save. The program is timely as new research from
Guardian shows that 67% of adult GenZers state that money/finances is a top source of stress
in their lives. GenZers saw a sharp decline in perceived financial wellness (excellent or very
good) from 39% in 2022 to 23% this year.

Students participate in age-appropriate, digital, scenario-based lessons that drive robust
classroom discussions. The curriculum incorporates the Social Emotional Learning  aspects of financial well-being as students consider available resources, personal history, and existing challenges, as well as the state of the economy. In some schools, Guardian executives and employees will also meet with students to discuss financial wellness and financial careers.

Minding Your Money will reach approximately 20,000 high-school students through the 2024
academic year and should reach 40,000 by the end of the 2024-25 school year. Guardian and
EVERFI are committed to providing opportunities where there is the greatest need, and over
70% of participating schools are in low- to moderate-income communities, where most
students receive free- or reduced-price lunch.

“As part of our commitment to underserved communities, we wanted to invest in providing
young people with more than financial basics. This program builds confidence in managing
money and an understanding of how financial wellness can affect emotional and physical
health,” said Andrew McMahon, Guardian Chief Executive Officer and President.

“Aligning with Guardian on this curriculum was natural, considering the role the company has
played in being a trusted partner for generations of people and their families. Their
involvement complements EVERFI’s expertise in financial education and has helped us build a
life-changing course for teens,” said Ray Martinez, co-founder and president at EVERFI

About the program:

Minding Your Money extends beyond what traditional financial literacy courses cover. It is the
first bespoke EVERFI course to help students understand the impact financial decisions can have on their social and emotional health, including their relationships and mental wellness,
and better prepare them to navigate financial life decisions.

- Learners experience interactive, scenario-based digital experiences to help them
understand the implications of different financial decisions based on their own
priorities, goals, relationships, and life circumstances.

- Guardian is providing this program at no cost to educators, districts, and students,
starting with 20,000 high-school students in 15 states in 2023 and reaching 40,000
students in 600 high schools in 19 states** by 2024-25.

- Guardian will measure learner impact through knowledge gain, confidence increases,
attitudinal changes, and positive predicted behavioral changes.

According to Francine Chew, Guardian Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, “This effort is
aligned to Guardian’s purpose to inspire well-being and builds on our 163-year history of
supporting consumers and communities. At the end of the program, students will have a sense
of control over their finances, be able to manage financial decisions effectively, and know how
to cope with the emotions associated with financial emergencies.”