Helping families get out of debt — for good.
Money Wise Foundation offers free financial-literacy workshops in English and Spanish: budgeting, paying down debt, building savings, and using credit wisely — explained in plain language, with no judgment and no jargon.
Our Mission
Debt shouldn’t decide a family’s future.
Money Wise Foundation gives underprivileged families in El Monte and greater Los Angeles a practical, judgment-free way out of debt — and the skills to stay out.
Too many hardworking families are quietly squeezed by credit-card minimum payments, payday loans, and bills that never seem to shrink. We teach money skills in plain language, in English and Spanish, so families can take control of their money and build a stronger future.
A budget that fits real life
We start with what a family actually earns and spends — no lectures, no shame, just a plan that works on a real paycheck.
A clear plan to pay off debt
List every debt, see the full picture, choose a payoff strategy — and watch the balances fall, one at a time.
Credit & savings, explained plainly
How credit cards and credit scores really work, and how to start a small emergency fund that keeps a bad week from becoming a crisis.
Our First Program
Family Money Basics: Get Out of Debt
A free workshop where families leave with a plan — not just information. Every participant goes home with a take-home workbook and one written action step for the week.
Hosted with community partners. Family centers, schools, and neighborhood organizations across El Monte and greater Los Angeles are already in conversation with us about hosting workshops and referring families.
Host a workshop- Build a budget you can followBased on your real income and expenses — not a generic template.
- List every debtSee the full picture in one place, maybe for the first time.
- Choose your payoff planSmallest balance first, or highest interest first — we explain both, you pick.
- Understand credit for realHow credit cards, interest, and credit scores actually work.
- Start an emergency fundEven a small cushion changes everything when life happens.
- Leave with one action stepOne written step to take this week, so the plan starts now.
Support the Launch
Help us open the doors.
Money Wise is registered with the State of California and ready to teach — we just need launch funding. Donations support workshop materials, community outreach, and the startup filing and compliance costs that keep us in good standing. Our founder volunteers his time, and the foundation has no paid staff.
Here is exactly what your gift covers:
- State filing and compliance costs to keep the nonprofit in good standing
- Opening deposit for the foundation’s bank account
- Printing bilingual workbooks and materials for the first workshops
- A simple, secure online donation setup
Donate with Zelle
The fastest way to give — no fees, straight from your bank app.
Scan with your phone’s camera or banking app
- Open your bank’s app and choose Zelle.
- Send to moneywisefoundation@gmail.com.
- You’ll see the recipient name “Julio” — that’s our founder. Add the note “Money Wise Foundation donation.”
- Please double-check the email before sending — Zelle transfers are usually instant and generally can’t be reversed.
Become a founding sponsor
Local businesses and neighbors are helping us launch. Pick a level, then email or Zelle us — we’ll confirm your sponsorship personally.
For neighbors who want to see this happen in El Monte.
Sponsor at this level →For local businesses that serve El Monte and greater LA families.
Sponsor at this level →Our top founding tier — covers half the entire startup goal on its own.
Sponsor at this level →Please read before you give: Money Wise Foundation is registered with the State of California. Our IRS 501(c)(3) determination is still pending, so donations are not tax-deductible yet. We’ll announce it here the moment that changes — thank you for supporting us this early.
Meet the Founder
Built by someone from El Monte.
Julio Santos grew up and went to school in El Monte. He knows these neighborhoods — and he knows how quietly credit-card debt and payday loans can eat a family’s paycheck.
After a career in account management and logistics — more than 15 years at UPS, 13 years with the Automobile Club of Southern California, and today as an account executive at FedEx — plus an MBA from the University of La Verne, Julio founded Money Wise Foundation to bring that experience home to the families he grew up with.
Contact
Talk with us.
Email is the best way to reach us — every message lands in our inbox and gets a reply.
Families
Want to attend a free workshop, or join the list for the first sessions? Write to us in English or Spanish.
Hosts & partners
Family centers, schools, churches, and community groups: host a workshop or refer families to us.
Sponsors & donors
Ask about founding sponsorships, in-kind printing, or other ways to help us launch.