CASH Campaign of Maryland hosts annual Money Power Day

BALTIMORE - Whether you are a small business entrepreneur, a college student, or a taxpayer, Money Power Day kicked off to cater to your financial needs. 

Every year CASH Campaign of Maryland hosts the free event and Saturday marked 17 years of going strong. 

Hundreds of people flexed a different muscle on Money Power Day to build financial fitness. 

"It's way past due time for us to take control of our financial futures and make good decisions with our money and teach those skills to our loved ones and our young people," Mayor Brandon Scott said.  

More than 40 vendors representing local financial experts and agencies lined at Poly Western High School. Each of them gave free financial advice to encourage people to thrive. 

"It's making sure that we are changing that financial narrative, building generational wealth, for the people who work with us and the members of our community," MECU Level Up Financial Wellness Assistant VP Aziza Gary Smith said. 

MECU Credit Union is one of the founders of Money Power Day and Tim Rozalski, VP of Marketing, said it gives them a chance to share unique personal advice. 

"It's because they are at all stages of their life," he said. "And we understand that every stage is unique. And it's unique to the person." 

Besides, you are never too young to start learning about financial responsibility. 

9-year-old La'ron learned a lesson about bills and budgeting with APG Federal Credit Union by playing a game using counting chips. 

Christopher R. Williams remembers the daunting money talk when he was a teen moving from California to Maryland to become a college student athlete. 

"I was like what am I going to do," Williams said. "I've heard about the nightmares of some people having financial debt and having loans to pay for and I didn't want to be in that predicament." 

Williams is now a senior counselor with Maryland Education Opportunity Center (MEOC) to help guide the next generation through their college years and build up prosperity after they graduate.