LOWER LAKE, Calif., Nov. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Louis Hernandez Jr.'s Foundation For A Bright Future ("For A Bright Future," "FABF"), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding educational opportunity for underserved youth, today announced a new partnership with the Redwood Credit Union Community Fund ("RCU Community Fund") to launch the NextGen Finance Lab at Lower Lake High School in the Konocti Unified School District. Made possible by a $25,000 grant from the RCU Community Fund, the program will run throughout the 2026–2027 school year, bringing FABF's financial literacy model to Northern California and connecting Lake County students with the people and practices of a community-rooted credit union.

"When young people have the tools, knowledge, and support they need to succeed, our entire community benefits," said Brett Martinez, President and CEO of Redwood Credit Union. "We're honored to partner with For A Bright Future to bring this innovative program to Lower Lake High School, helping students build financial confidence, explore career possibilities, and prepare for a future full of opportunity. Lake County remains an important part of our story, and we will be here to help strengthen and advance this community for years to come."

The NextGen Finance Lab is a project-based financial literacy program that integrates the Dave Ramsey Financial Literacy curriculum with FABF's industry mentorship model. Throughout the year, students build core skills in budgeting, saving, avoiding and eliminating debt, investing, and entrepreneurship, while learning directly from financial professionals who bring real-world perspective on banking, credit, and careers in finance. The program culminates in "Pitch Like A Dragon," a competition in which student teams present original business and financial technology concepts to a panel of industry judges.

"Every student deserves the chance to understand money, make confident decisions, and see a future for themselves in fields like finance. Redwood Credit Union shares that belief, and this partnership is about more than a classroom program. It's about Lower Lake students getting to know the professionals in their own community who can open doors for them. We're grateful to Redwood for investing in these students and for showing up for them all year long," said Gina Rogoto, SVP, Operations and Programs, For A Bright Future Foundation.

Through the partnership, students at Lower Lake High School will:

  • Complete the NextGen Finance Lab's project-based financial literacy curriculum during the 2026–2027 school year
  • Learn from Redwood Credit Union employee volunteers, who will provide practical, experience-based support to school faculty
  • Tour a Redwood Credit Union facility for real-world exposure to how a credit union serves its members and community
  • Compete in Pitch Like A Dragon, with Redwood Credit Union professionals serving as judges for student projects

For Founder and Chairman of the Board Louis Hernandez Jr., the Lower Lake launch reflects the belief that started the Foundation: where a young person grows up should never decide how far they can go. Across New York City, Miami, Los Angeles, and now Lake County, FABF's work is built on the idea that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not, and that the right skills, mentors, and moments of encouragement can change the direction of a student's life. In Lower Lake, that opportunity takes the form of a classroom where students learn to budget, save, and plan, a community credit union that opens its doors to them, and a stage where they can stand up, pitch their ideas, and be taken seriously. With Redwood Credit Union's support, every student who walks into the Lab is walking toward a future they get to define, with the tools and the people behind them to build it.

About For A Bright Future Foundation

Louis Hernandez Jr's Foundation For A Bright Future is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that empowers underserved youth with equitable access to education, technology, financial capability, and wellness. We help students develop future‑ready skills that unlock lifelong opportunity and support thriving global communities. Learn more at www.fabff.org. 

FABF operates programs nationwide, including the NextGen Finance Lab, the NextGen Media Creators Lab, the merit- and need-based scholarships, and youth leadership development, working directly with schools, districts, and industry leaders to bridge opportunity gaps for the next generation.

About Redwood Credit Union

Founded in 1950, Redwood Credit Union is a full-service, not-for-profit financial institution providing personal and business banking to consumers and businesses in the Greater North Bay and San Francisco. With a mission to passionately serve the best interests of its members, team members, and communities, RCU delivers many ways for its members to save and build money through checking and savings accounts, auto and home loans, credit cards, digital banking, business services, commercial and SBA lending, and more. Wealth management and investment services are available through Redwood Wealth Management, and insurance and auto-purchasing services are also offered through RCU Services Group (RCU's wholly owned subsidiary). RCU ended September at $10.3 billion in assets and $13.5 billion in assets under management and serves more than 547,000 members with full-service branches in San Francisco and across the North Bay. For more information, call 1 (800) 479-7928, visit redwoodcu.org, or follow RCU on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn for news and updates.

Media Contact Gina Rogoto, SVP, Operations and Programs For A Bright Future Foundation [email protected]

Redwood Credit Union Public Relations Department Redwood Credit Union Community Fund [email protected]