Twenty-one years ago, Stacy Francis, one of the savviest ladies I know, established an organization dedicated to providing free financial knowledge for all women who need advice or guidance, regardless of their ability to pay for financial services. She named it, most fittingly, Savvy Ladies.
Last week, I had the honor of being recognized by Savvy Ladies with a Change Maker award at their annual gala. Held in the magnificent space at NASDAQ overlooking Times Square, the event highlighted the truly transformative efforts of this non-profit to advance financial literacy among women. Proskauer has a long-standing commitment to economic empowerment and building opportunities for women and the mission of Savvy Ladies dovetails beautifully with our own corporate social responsibility program. As an example, we hosted an event last March for our non-profit and school partners as well as our Proskauer colleagues where Stacy introduced Savvy Ladies to the group. Our goal with this event was for everyone in the room to go back to their offices and introduce the organization to their colleagues and students. The synergies within the group were immediately apparent and many new partnerships were born. As a result, we created a much-needed resource guide for Savvy Ladies to share with their clients. This resource guide will help clients navigate any challenges they may face with housing, food, and employment, as well as a wide range of legal issues. Some of my colleagues have also volunteered with Savvy Ladies’ Helpline, which connects volunteers with clients for an hourlong consultation. All volunteers are trained in advance.
Collectively, we hope this work reduces poverty and creates opportunities that lead to happier, healthier lives for all of the women we meet through this work. Economic security is essential for our stability and our families. It allows us to raise our children in safe homes and to thrive in our communities and careers. I am so proud to introduce Savvy Ladies to Proskauer and our non-profit partners and to be recognized by this terrific organization. My fellow Change Makers include Jacqueline “JaQ” Campbell, CEO and Senior Wealth Advisor from Alexander Legacy Private Wealth Management, Molly Kohrs, Pro Bono Engagements Lead KPMG and Alicia Groscost, Executive Director: Chief of Staff & Wealth Management DEI Champion J.P. Morgan Chase. To round out the celebration, all awardees participated in a discussion panel, moderated by Kelli Grant, CNBC Deputy Personal Finance Editor.
