TopLine Federal Credit Union Helps Local Farmers Market Pay Kids to Shop Wisely

MAPLE GROVE, MINN. —  School may be out, however local member-owned financial services cooperative TopLine Federal Credit Union and the Maple Grove Farmers Market are teaming up to keep education top of mind over the summer months, with a program to teach young shoppers an important lesson. Area children will learn about the value of money — and the importance of making healthy food and financial choices — through the Power of Produce (PoP) Kids’ Club.

For the fourth consecutive year TopLine is proud to be sponsoring the Power of Produce Kids Club, and each market Thursday, June 15 through October 19, children ages four to twelve can join the free PoP Club. Benefits include a reusable shopping bag, a PoP punch card, and a weekly $2 market token, which can be used for the purchase of fresh fruits, vegetables or food-bearing plants from the market. Formal surveys were distributed the last several years asking for feedback from market-goers — parents, children and the community — and summary results reflected positive comments about the ability to teach kids healthy eating, saving, spending and sharing habits, along with kids having fun counting and combining their money to pick out fresh produce. One parent even said, “The Farmers Market became something my son looked forward to every week. He planned what he wanted to buy and saved up when he needed to. Great experience learning about money and healthy foods!” In addition, children of all ages are invited to participate in activities and demonstrations at the market, geared towards making healthy food choices and exploring and enjoying the bounty of the farmers market.

For more on these events, visit the Maple Grove Farmers Market website. Make sure to swing by the market on June 22 and August 17 as TopLine Federal Credit Union will be hosting special events. The free program — modeled after a format established by the Oregon City Farmers Market to get kids hands on with healthy eating — is one of the many initiatives that TopLine sponsors as part of its longstanding commitment to offering its community financial education opportunities. The PoP Kids’ Club is supported in part by a grant TopLine Federal Credit Union received from the Minnesota Credit Union Foundation to sponsor the program.

“We are delighted to be a partner of this unique program, it’s a great way for the credit union to connect with our local community neighbors to increase the importance of teaching children about making healthy food and financial choices,” said Tom Smith, TopLine Federal Credit Union President and CEO. “We hope this encourages parents and children to start money conversations about saving, spending and sharing, and utilize these discussions in a real-life, hands-on experience at the farmers market, elsewhere and at home.”

The Maple Grove Farmers Market opened June 15 and takes place each Thursday through October 19 from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Maple Grove Community Center, 2951 Weaver Lake Road in Maple Grove. For more information about the PoP Kids’ Club program, visit the PoP tent at the Maple Grove Farmers Market.

TopLine hosts free financial literacy classes for young people throughout the year at its Maple Grove location, and also offers traveling seminars, visiting interested schools or other community groups to present age-appropriate lessons about personal money management. To learn more about TopLine’s financial literacy sessions or request a session visit https://www.toplinecu.com/financialeducation/youth-financial-literacy.

TopLine Federal Credit Union, a Twin Cities-based credit union, is Minnesota’s 13th largest, with assets of more than $400 million. Established in 1935, the not-for-profit cooperative offers a complete line of financial services, as well as auto and home insurance, from its five branch locations — in Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Maple Grove, Plymouth and in St. Paul’s Como Park — as well as by phone, mobile app and online at www.TopLinecu.com. Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott or Washington Counties and their immediate family members.