Milwaukee, WI — Prime Financial Credit Union recently celebrated graduates of its Financial Literacy And Matched Earnings (FLAME) program, recognizing participants who spent the past 10 months building savings, strengthening financial skills, and working toward personal financial goals.
The graduation ceremony was held at ThriveOn King, a community hub dedicated to advancing economic opportunity, wellness, and neighborhood investment in Milwaukee. By bringing together mission-driven organizations under one roof, spaces like ThriveOn King help create pathways for residents to access the tools, resources, and support systems needed to build stronger futures.
Each graduate committed to saving $60 per month, while Prime Financial Credit Union matched those contributions at a 3-to-1 rate. By completing the program, graduates had $2,400 to put toward their financial goals. Throughout the program, participants worked one-on-one with certified volunteer financial coaches from Prime Financial Credit Union, receiving personalized guidance, accountability, and encouragement as they navigated their financial journeys.
"Tonight is about more than dollars saved," said Christine Moczynski, President & CEO of Prime Financial Credit Union. "It's about the habits, confidence, and determination that participants developed over the last 10 months. Every graduate made a commitment to themselves and followed through on it."
For Tierra, that milestone was homeownership.
While participating in FLAME, Tierra achieved her goal of purchasing a home for herself and her children. Through consistent saving, financial coaching, and a commitment to long-term planning, she successfully transitioned into homeownership while improving her credit score and building a stronger foundation for her family's future.
For Sojourney, the program became part of a broader journey of rebuilding.
After returning to Milwaukee and working to regain financial stability, she balanced employment challenges, housing needs, and transportation setbacks while raising her daughter. Despite those obstacles, she remained committed to the program, improved her credit score by more than 70 points, addressed outstanding collections, and developed stronger savings habits. She plans to use her FLAME funds toward purchasing a vehicle to continue creating stability for her family.
Charlicia's story demonstrates how small financial changes can produce significant results.
Working alongside her FLAME coach, she reduced unnecessary expenses, paid down debt, and focused on building healthier credit habits. Those efforts resulted in a 173-point increase in her credit score, improving from 478 to 651. More importantly, she gained greater confidence and control over her financial future.
"Every graduate's story is different, but each one reflects perseverance," said Cole Herbst, Director of Communications & Digital Experiences at Prime Financial Credit Union and a FLAME coach. "Whether someone was buying a home, rebuilding after setbacks, or improving their credit, they made the decision to keep moving forward. That's what we're celebrating."
Prime Financial Credit Union extends gratitude to Inclusiv, a national organization dedicated to expanding financial opportunity through community development credit unions, for providing the grant that made the FLAME program possible.