About Us – Bank On Lehigh Valley

THE BANK ON MOVEMENT

Bank On Lehigh Valley is proud to be part of the national Bank On movement, made up of dozens of similar local coalitions across the country.

The nonprofit Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund) is the national partner for local Bank On coalitions, supporting local efforts through resources like the Bank On National Account Standards and accompanying certification, grant support to build local coalition capacity, and a robust learning community. The CFE Fund also works to give voice to local coalition experiences by informing both federal regulatory policy and financial institution practices.

“Bank On stakeholders across the country literally have worked together to shift the consumer transaction account market. With more banks and credit unions of all sizes offering certified accounts, local Bank On coalitions have powerful tools to support their work connecting those outside of the financial mainstream to critically stabilizing products and services. We applaud Bank On Lehigh Valley and the dozens of coalitions across the country for their work in helping to move the market and build resident financial stability.”

Jonathan Mintz, President and CEO, Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund

“In the past few years, over 42% of the households in the Lehigh Valley have faced financial instability and many may not have any savings for an emergency if one arises. For our families to be strong, we need strong financial solutions. We applaud all the Bank On Lehigh Valley partners for coming together to focus on financially empowering everyone in our community. We are working hard to provide individuals and families with the knowledge and resources they need so they can make the right financial decisions for a successful future. That is why we have partnered with our city and county governments, nonprofit organizations and financial institutions to provide financial literacy classes, organize informational events and reach out to residents of all ages. Financial success and financial freedom happen when you take control of your money. With hard work and determination, we can help you and your family make your dreams a reality.”

Erlinda Aguiar, Bank On Ambassador for United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley

Our Mission

The Bank On Lehigh Valley Coalition exists to improve the financial stability of unbanked and underbanked individuals and families in our community

Our History

Bank On Lehigh Valley helps connect consumers to safe and affordable banking products certified as meeting the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund’s Bank On National Account Standards. In 2017, with assistance from the CFE Fund, six partners from the private, public and nonprofit sectors, as well as PA State Representative Mike Schlossberg, formed a Bank On working group to identify strategies to increase collaborative efforts that could connect consumers to mainstream financial services and products.

Members represent community-based organizations, financial institutions and local government agencies that provide services and resources such as financial education, credit counseling, savings programs, banking series, credit repair, employment assistance, youth engagement, first time homebuyers programs and other financial empowerment programming.

Coalition members meet regularly to identify points of collaboration and community engagement opportunities, share best practices and develop innovative ideas. The Coalition is driven by a steering committee that creates and implements the strategic plan of the Coalition, oversees staffing, provides budgetary and financial oversight, evaluates impact, and reports on program outcomes and new initiatives.