Provident expands online financial wellness program

Provident Bank has expanded its Financial Wellness Center program to offer financial literacy services to everyone, not just students in its area, it announced Tuesday.

Iselin-based Provident uses the wellness center to provide informational and educational opportunities on personal finance topics such as savings, investment and retirement planning. It has offered programs to more than 3,200 students in New Jersey and Pennsylvania during the school year.

“Our Financial Wellness Center is for all knowledge seekers — not just for those who entrust their banking to us,” Joseph Spatola, senior vice president and chief compliance officer, said in a prepared statement. “We understand that people have questions about their personal finances, and they may not always feel comfortable having a face-to-face discussion. The Financial Wellness Center allows users to learn at their own pace and to choose the financial wellness modules that fit their life stage.”

The bank has added 24 learning modules to the program to enhance it and grow its subject matter.

“Since relaunching the Financial Wellness Center and opening it to everyone, we have noticed more visits to the site and more learners exploring the modules,” Spatola said. “There are no fees to access the modules and no registration is required.”

Provident added that 3,3439 students at 23 schools in the two states participated in the “BFF” program, Becoming Financially Fit, which is also an online financial learning tool.