For Immediate Release

Contact:
Peter Roveto
Brookline Bank
617-730-3500

BOSTON, MA (February 6, 2025) – Brookline Bank announced they have teamed up with Stickball to provide an online, interactive financial literacy curriculum for visitors to their website, as well as programs for students, parents, and educators in underserved communities. Stickball is the Boston area-based developer of a technology platform using a flexible, short-format curriculum structure to deliver focused financial lessons in an efficient manner.

In an initial proof of concept, Stickball, with support from Brookline Bank, partnered with the City of Everett to provide public school students with a program that delivered an engaging, interactive online environment in which to master the basics of financial literacy.

Based on the initial success of this program, Brookline Bank commissioned Stickball to develop the bank’s Financial Education Center on their website (brooklinebank.com), providing accessible resources to help individuals improve their financial skills and knowledge at their own pace.

Darryl Fess, President & CEO of Brookline Bank, emphasized, “Financial education plays a critical role in building long-term financial stability for families. By making these programs available in a flexible and easy format, we are ensuring that more individuals can access knowledge to make a difference in their lives.”

Since the beginning of the 2024 academic year, Stickball has provided financial education content at Everett High School. With support from Brookline Bank, Stickball has equipped teachers with the resources to deliver important lessons on budgeting and personal finance, helping students develop the skills they need for financial independence. Stickball also is providing Workforce Readiness training to help prepare future workers with the foundation needed to enhance the likelihood of successful employment and career growth.

More recently, the Bank and Stickball have developed an innovative program for Families First, a leader in strengthening families across Greater Boston with parenting education and parent leadership programs for more than 35 years. The workshop supports parents of young children with lessons on budgeting, distinguishing needs from wants, and preparing for unexpected expenses. The program, available in both English and Spanish, will help parents develop practical financial skills to strengthen their families’ financial security and develop the skills they need for financial independence.

What makes this program different from traditional financial literacy workshops is that parents can participate at their own pace over a four week period according to their own busy schedules. Participants register by email or mobile depending on how they wish to communicate. Beginning with a baseline assessment, parents will automatically receive activities to be completed in short bursts of learning. These can include podcasts, a video reel, or other activity – each of which can be completed in mere minutes – as opposed to traditional workshops typically requiring an hour and a half commitment. The Stickball workshop culminates in a half hour live Zoom Q&A session.

“Brookline Bank is committed to providing resources that improve financial education in our communities,” said Jane Adler, Senior Vice President and CRA Officer at Brookline Bank. “Through this collaboration with Stickball and Families First, we’re helping parents gain the tools they need to make informed financial decisions for their families.”

“Families First is thrilled with the ongoing collaboration with Brookline Bank and Stickball,” said Jenn Zocco, Director of Development & Communications at Families First. “Stickball has done an amazing job of providing quality financial literacy content in bite-sized pieces, making it easy for parents to learn on the go. We’re seeing a lot of excitement from parents who are eager to be a part of this opportunity. The relationship between Brookline Bank and Families First has truly evolved, and we’re proud to say it has already touched the lives of over 80 parents, making a real impact on financial education in our community.”

Sahal Laher, CEO of Stickball, commented, “Through the Families First program, we are addressing the unique financial challenges young parents face. We know they are busy and have limited time because of their work and family schedules. By offering workshops that they are able to do on their own, combined with support from Brookline Bank, we can ensure more parents have the support and knowledge they need to navigate their financial futures.”

About Brookline Bank
Brookline Bank is a subsidiary of Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: BRKL), and is headquartered in Brookline, Massachusetts. A full-service financial institution, Brookline Bank provides individuals and businesses with deposit and lending services, residential mortgages and home equity lending, commercial and CRE banking, cash management and foreign exchange services, and access to investment and wealth management services. Brookline Bank has convenient locations across Greater Boston and the North Shore. For more information go to brooklinebank.com. Brookline Bank is an Equal Opportunity and Equal Housing Lender. Member FDIC.

About Stickball
Stickball is a leading education technology platform dedicated to promoting financial literacy and workforce readiness. With interactive lessons and personalized guidance that leverage the power of cutting-edge technology like AI and augmented reality, Stickball empowers students and professionals to make informed financial decisions. For more information, visit www.stickball.biz.

About Families First
Families First’s mission is to parent with parents to amplify their power so they can positively impact the lives of children and communities through our groundbreaking programs. Our two signature programs, the Power of Parenting and the Ripple Program, complement each other and work together to ensure better outcomes for children while supporting parents as leaders in their families and communities. For more information, visit www.families-first.org.

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