(BLACK PR WIRE) – Boston, MA (February 1, 2013) – OneUnited Bank announces its 3RD Annual I Got Bank! Essay Contest to promote financial literacy for youth. Middle school students from across the country between the ages of 8 and 12 are encouraged to read I Got Bank!, or a similar financial book of their choosing, and write a 250-word essay about how they would apply what they learned from the book to their lives. Submissions must be emailed or postmarked by June 15, 2013. The Bank will choose three winners and award them a $1,000 OneUnited Bank savings account by August 31, 2013.

Teri Williams, OneUnited Bank President and author of I Got Bank! wrote the book when she found that there weren’t any books geared toward educating urban youth about finances. “I was inspired to write I Got Bank! to help young people acquire financial literacy skills, something that is a personal passion and mission for me and OneUnited Bank,” said Williams. “I could not find a book about personal finance from the perspective of urban youth. Yet, when children learn the lessons of financial literacy at a young age, they form strong habits that can be life-changing.” Ms. Williams has held numerous financial workshops for youth at schools and community organizations throughout the country.

The I Got Bank! Essay Contest is part of a larger OneUnited Bank effort to educate urban youth about smart money management. The Bank hopes its efforts will increase awareness of such an important subject and improve the financial skills of children throughout the country.

2012 winners were: Jordan Hartway, 10, Columbus, OH; Jaidah Lindsey, 11, Boston, MA; and Nailah Pierce, 12, Beverly, MA. 2011 winners were: Isaiah Harris,10, Dorchester, MA; Stephanie Orellana, 12, Compton, CA; and Abshalaam Muhammad, 12, Fort Lauderdale, FL. The students wrote about the importance of savings, account tracking, and other financial insights and impressed the essay judges, including Ms. Williams, with their ability to express their financial savvy through their words.

Committed to educating community members about financial literacy, OneUnited Bank also offers First Time Homebuyers Seminars to individuals and organizations throughout the year.

I Got Bank! is published by The Beckham Publications Group, Inc. (www.beckhamhouse.com). For more information about the official essay contest rules, please visit: www.oneunited.com/book.

About OneUnited Bank

OneUnited Bank (www.oneunited.com), a Minority Depository Institution (MDI) and a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), is a ten time recipient of the Bank Enterprise Award from the U.S. Department of Treasury due to its focus on community development lending. Its mission is to be the premier bank serving urban communities by promoting financial literacy and offering affordable financial services. OneUnited has grown through a combination of organic development and by acquiring community banks that share its mission, including Boston Bank of Commerce in Boston, Massachusetts, Founders National Bank and Family Savings Bank in Los Angeles, California, and Peoples National Bank of Commerce in Miami, Florida.