For Immediate Release

Contacts: Maurita Coley, for CAAB, mcoley@caab.org  202-419-1440 ext. 103 or 202-422-4411 Cell; or Adrian Harpool, aha@adrianharpool.com for Moneywise; or Anthony Hawkins for Metropolitan AME, hawant@metropolitanamec.org or 202-331-1426.

Metropolitan AME Teams Up With National and Local Financial Education Leaders for One-Stop Financial Empowerment on November 5, 2011

Washington, DC – The historic Metropolitan AME Church, a landmark in downtown Washington DC since 1838 whose pulpit has hosted presidents and global heads of state, has emereged after a two-year renovation to address issues such as poverty, joblessness, and other pressing local community needs.

Metropolitan has teamed up with national author and host of the long-running PBS personal finance TV series Moneywise with Kelvin Boston, and local nonprofit financial education leader, Capital Area Asset Builders (CAAB) to provide a free, all day “financial empowerment” event on November 5. Key speakers include Kelvin Boston, host of Moneywise with Kelvin Boston, national motivational speaker Willie Jolley, author of Turning Setbacks into Greenbacks, Rev. Deforest Soaries, Jr., author of Breaking Free from Financial Slavery, and Obama-appointee Marie P. Johns, Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration. This event features other high level speakers from the public, corporate, and faith-based communities, dynamic music performances, panel discussions on a broad range of cutting-edge financial topics, plus one-on-one mini credit coaching (with a free credit report) and financial planning sessions, exhibits and prizes.

 “We here at Metropolitan are reaching out to everyone in the community and encouraging ANYONE who needs help to come to this event. So many people are hurting from this financial tsunami, but they can come here on Saturday to get the tools they need to restore hope,” says Rev. Dr. Ronald E. Braxton, Senior Pastor of the predominantly African American congregation.

The partnership with CAAB and Metropolitan AME for the DC tour is one of 26 stops on Moneywise’s national financial empowerment tour. Boston, who MC’s the event and facilitates an opening panel entitled: “Why We Are Here: Finding Success In An Economic Mess,” tapped E*Trade and other sponsors to bring national speakers and regional resources together to help to solve local problems all across the country.

Maurita Coley, Executive Director of CAAB says, “This is a community event that is for everyone – not just the members of the church. Whether you need to access services about how to get a job, how to start a business, how to modify your mortgage, how to prevent foreclosure, how to pay down your debt – the CAAB-Moneywise Financial Empowerment Tour has something for you.”

“It is the church’s responsibility to help people who are in need,” says Braxton. By partnering with Moneywise and CAAB to bring this information to the community, we are just doing what we are supposed to do. We are just blocks from the White House and the “Occupy DC” movement and we have our finger on the pulse of our people’s needs. This week we have middle school children coming to the church to learn about majoring in STEM programs. Next Saturday, we have CAAB and Kelvin Boston of Moneywise and the financial empowerment tour. This is just the beginning of what you will see coming from Metropolitan AME to aid our community.”

 The event is at Metropolitan AME Church, 1518 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 (www.metropolitanamec.org), 8:30 am to 5:30 pm and provides free parking and free lunch. Seating is limited so participants may register at www.caab.org or www.moneywise.tv/empowerment-tour or call 202-419-1440 (CAAB) or 202-3331-1426 (church). Metro accessible from McPherson Square (blue) or Farragut North (Red).

 Register now!