The United Way of Northeast Kentucky realizes that for families and individuals to be financially stable they need to know how to manage their money. Bank On is a comprehensive program to serve the "unbanked" and "under-banked," those who live without access to mainstream financial institutions and are forced to rely on expensive check-cashing services.
Over the course of a working lifetime, a wage earner using alternative financial services will pay $40,000 in transaction fees related to cash checking, money orders, etc. that would otherwise be available for other purposes and long-term financial stability.
Retail investments are often heavily tied to credit card and checking account transactions within a geographic area, which will lead to new economic opportunities for individuals and the neighborhoods in which they reside.
Community-based organizations will have more success in serving their clients and fulfilling their missions, while leading to new business opportunities for mainstream financial institutions.