Investing in Change: A Partnership Beyond Funding
What happens when a longtime banker with a passion for community involvement joins the board of a nonprofit? A partnership that will impact lives for years to come. Meet Courtney Shauf, an office manager at F&M Trust. She has been employed at F&M Trust, a community bank in South Central Pennsylvania, for 12 years and has sought ways to impact her community for much longer. In 2022, Shauf participated in the Habitat for Humanity of Franklin County’s Women Build initiative, which focuses on empowering women to serve their communities. Shauf has been active in attending monthly planning meetings, organizing various logistics, and working on build sites ever since, and she was inspired to join the Franklin County Habitat board of directors that same year.
F&M Trust recently launched a program focused on financial literacy, which provides free financial resources. “As a local community bank, giving back is at the core of our mission,” Shauf said. FiQ, available for anyone looking for high-quality information in all financial areas, gives advice on topics such as budgeting, debt management, and first-time homebuying, which aligns perfectly with Habitat for Humanity’s mission. In addition to building affordable housing, Habitat emphasizes financial wellness that will promote confidence and strength in a new homebuyer’s journey. “By working together, we can empower future homeowners with the financial knowledge they need for long-term success,” said Shauf.
Habitat and F&M Trust have been working together for many years. F&M Trust has been the main sponsor of Habitat’s annual Foundations Breakfast for the previous three years and is familiar with Habitat’s missions and values. This partnership is the natural continuation of their prior collaboration. “We are proud to support such an important organization, and I’m excited to be a part of this next venture,” said Shauf.
This collaboration between Habitat and F&M Trust has produced “the Homebuyer Essentials program.” It was designed to encourage financial literacy for Habitat families in the present and future. The core of this program is rooted in creating a partnership between new homeowners and a financial professional that will be a source of information and support. Through this relationship, Habitat partners will gain access to one-on-one sessions with their contact from F&M Trust, and these lessons will cover topics such as budgeting, debt management, and anything else they need to succeed in this new chapter of their lives. Habitat families will be equipped through this partnership between F&M Trust and Habitat for Humanity of Franklin County with a wealth of professional knowledge to maintain their homes and finances for life.
