Stan Green – Financial Planning Day

Stan and Joan Green opened a fund at MCF in 2005. While their philanthropic interests span a range of issues, from the environment and arts and culture to poverty alleviation, their real passion is economic empowerment through education. As a retired Certified Financial Planner^TM and investment advisor, Stan has experienced first-hand the power that knowledge can bring people, particularly when it comes to that most essential of tasks – managing finances.

So it should come as no surprise that Stan was behind the first Financial Planning Day held in Marin County on October 29 at the Marin Civic Center. It provided 80 appointments in a four-hour time frame. Conversations covered many financial issues, such as budgeting, insurance, taxes, investments, retirement planning and estate planning. Each attendee was able to spend 30 minutes in a private, one-on-one consultation with one of twelve Certified Financial Planners^TM, each of whom volunteered their time. For the first time out of the gate, this was a tremendous success. And Stan gives enormous gratitude to the  volunteers and the sponsors, Marin Money Matters and the Financial Planning Association of San Francisco.

Financial Planning Day is in its 7th year nationally and takes places in dozens of locations throughout the country. Stan hopes the Marin event is the first of many here.

The national event is in its 7th year and takes places in dozens of locations throughout the country. This was the inaugural event in Marin and, Stan hopes, the first of many more to come.

We asked Stan three questions:

1. Describe Financial Planning Day in one sentence.

It provides an opportunity for anyone to get a free one-on-one consultation with a vetted Certified Financial Planner^TM about any financial issue(s) they are wrestling with.

2. What inspired you to get involved?

I have volunteered for Financial Planning Days half a dozen times in Oakland and San Francisco. It has always been great fun and very satisfying. It is gratifying to me to be able to help people who either can’t normally afford to speak to a financial professional or who are intimidated by them.

3. What’s the most important thing that others should know about Financial Planning Day?

Too many people are meek or insecure about their finances. The volunteers are very good people trying to have an impact on the lives of ordinary people.

To learn more about Financial Planning Days, you can get more information here. If you’re interested in getting involved, contact Stan, at stgreen@comcast.net.

Tim and Suzanne Leonoudakis – World Bike Relief

A couple of years ago Tim and Suzanne Leonoudakis were discussing all the “gifts” they had received from being cyclists. They spoke about the great friendships they had developed through cycling, how it had helped them nurture good health, and the incredible adventures they had experienced all over the world. It led them to wonder if there was a nonprofit organization in the U.S. that was using the power of the bike in a different way…as a tool to help people living under extreme poverty and the most difficult of circumstances.

After extensive research they discovered that World Bike Relief (WBR), a ten year old organization, had teamed up with the leadership of the bike industry (SRAM, Specialized, Trek and Giant bikes) to produce and deliver sturdy new bikes throughout developing countries – and was seeing great success in the areas of education, health care and small business operations. Further, they were impressed by the WBR leadership team, management and infrastructure in each country.

The Leonoudakis’ opened their fund at MCF in December of 2015 and since that time have not only made a grant to WBR, but took a volunteer trip to Zambia to see the operations first hand.

After spending 10 days there they were truly impressed to see the quality of the management team, the professionalism of the facilities and field operations. Their most powerful experience, however, was being a part of a 225-bike distribution to teenage girls in a remote village of rustic huts and dirt roads. It was a very emotional "game changing" day to see the girls receive the bikes and obtain the mobility to effectively get to school and get an education. They were also able to see how the bikes were used in support of an AIDS-related health care operation and a small dairy farm using over 300 bikes to deliver and pick up milk. In their mind, for a contribution of $150 per bike, there is tremendous ROI that is life changing and impactful.

If you’re interested in learning more about World Bike relief, you can visit its website.