Girls Inc. of Memphis shows girls how to be successful money  managers.

Men used to control the family finances, but now more women are running the household. Girls Inc. of Memphis (formerly Girls Club of Memphis) is showing Mid-South moms and their daughters how to be successful money managers.

The organization is holding an economic literacy program called “She’s on the Money!” on May 5 as part its weeklong Girls Summit at Christian Brothers University.

“Young women want to learn more about money management--how to make it grow and more importantly how to get and keep it,” says Netisha Burnett, Program Services Administrative Assistant. “This is very important to girls especially here in the Mid-South because they are still not preparing early enough for their futures in the areas of career and financial stability.

According to a new report by the Center for Research on Women at The University of Memphis, income determines the quality of housing, education, health care and significantly impacts the development and well-being of children. Given that single-parent female households are the fastest growing type of families in the United States, children are overwhelmingly affected by their mother’s economic condition.

• Income Disparity. 79% of employed women in Memphis make less than $20,000 annually, while 41% of males earn $20,000 or more per year.
• Employment. While the number of men and women in the Memphis labor force is almost equal, women tend to be unemployed at higher rates than men. 1/2 of unemployed women in Memphis have children.
• Occupation. Nearly 2/3 of employed women in Memphis hold jobs in 4 traditionally female occupational groups: office workers, service jobs, teachers and medical caregivers.
• Poverty. More than 80% of the people who live in poverty in Memphis are women and children. The proportion of women who live in poverty in Memphis is nearly twice the rate of women in the United States.

In 2004, Girls Inc. of Memphis initiated a three-year economic literacy campaign in partnership with the Women’s Foundation and the Center for Economic Education at The University of Memphis. Girls and their parents are taught the skills needed for smart money management through hands-on applications that include budgeting, using banks and other financial institutions, credit card usage, predatory lending, charitable giving and taxation.

For more information about the program contact Netisha Burnett at 523-0217 ext. 206 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .