CPA Volunteers

Florida’s Financial Fitness Friday, April 18

Calling all CPA Volunteers!

Florida residents can “ask an expert” (YOU!) free of charge by calling the FICPA Financial Fitness Hotline at 1-800-342-3197, Ext. 554, or posting a question on the FICPA Web site at www.ficpa.org.

When:  April 18, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Where to Volunteer:  You have the option of volunteering at two locations:

• FICPA office in Tallahassee – join the camaraderie of the on-site phone bank
• Your office – respond to phone calls transferred to you and questions submitted online, e-mailed to you.

Time slots:  You can choose to volunteer during one or more time slots.

•   9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
• 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
•   1 a.m. – 3 p.m.
•   3 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Purpose of the Event:  CPA volunteers across the state respond to calls by answering basic financial questions and conducting an annual financial “fitness” checkup for those Floridians who call-in. 

Many families in Florida and across the country are struggling with financial decisions, failing to prepare for retirement and gaining high-interest credit card debt in the process.  “Financial Fitness Friday is a great way to give back to our communities,” says Jim Luffman, FICPA Financial Literacy Committee Chair. 

Background:  Florida’s Financial Fitness Friday is an outreach event of “360 Degrees of Financial Literacy,” initiative to educate the public about financial responsibility. “360 Degrees of Financial Literacy” is a multifaceted program that equips CPAs to take a broad leadership role in educating the public — from schoolchildren to retirees — about sound financial practices that apply to their particular life stages. 

Florida’s Financial Fitness Friday received an “Award of Excellence” in the 2008 Associations Advance America (AAA) Awards program, a national competition sponsored by the American Society of Association Executives & the Center for Association Leadership in Washington, D.C.

If you have already volunteered…

A Volunteer Guide is available with information on such topics as logistics, communicating with the public, a sample phone script, a financial fitness checklist, e-mail guidance, questions, answers & financial advice, resources and referrals, and committee contacts.  The guide also contains information on a convenient volunteer training session, scheduled for Wednesday, April 16th, for those who may want it.

For more information or to get involved, please contact me at 850-224-2727, extension 419 or hubbardb@ficpa.org.