Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida Receives $25,000 Grant from First Citizens Bank

FORT MYERS, Fla. – June 29, 2026 – Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida is honored to be the recipient of the Community Development Grant from First Citizens Bank. This generous $25,000 funding allocation will equip local students with measurable job-readiness skills and a clear pathway to employment and economic mobility in Collier and Lee Counties.

First Citizens Bank Vice President - Community Development Officer (Florida and Georgia), Victor Avila, stated, “Partnering with organizations like Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida, in the communities we serve, is core to our mission at First Citizens Bank.”

The funds received from this grant will allow Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida to continue providing critical learning experiences to local students, some of which include:

• Support comprehensive K-12 educational programs to foster financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and workforce readiness among local students

• Offer programs that provide skills and knowledge for future economic success

• Host career-oriented events that welcome students to learn about multiple industries and engage in hands-on learning to determine a future path

• Provide programs that enhance critical thinking and life skills

“We are incredibly grateful to First Citizens Bank for its generous support and commitment to empowering the next generation through this $25,000 grant,” said Cheryl Kunkle, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida. “Community partnerships like this play a vital role in helping us inspire and prepare young people for success. Through the support of First Citizens Bank, we can continue delivering impactful programs that help students build financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurial skills.”

About Junior Achievement

Junior Achievement (JA) is the world’s largest organization dedicated to preparing young people to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make informed academic and financial decisions. JA programs are delivered by business and community volunteers and provide hands-on experiences that teach students from kindergarten through high school critical skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. JA is also expanding its reach to pre-K learners and young adults ages 18 to 25 to ensure children gain a strong foundation and emerging adults are equipped for independent success.

Today, JA reaches more than 4.4 million students annually across 102 U.S. markets, contributing to a global network serving 12.5 million students in over 100 countries. Junior Achievement USA is a member of JA Worldwide. For more information, visit www.ja.org.  

Locally, during the 2024–2025 school year, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida partnered with hundreds of classroom volunteers to deliver 233,402 hours of instruction to 20,592 students across Collier, Lee, and Charlotte counties. To learn more, visit www.JASWFL.org, call (239) 225-2590, or email info@jaswfl.org.

About First Citizens Bank

First Citizens Bank helps personal, business, commercial and wealth clients build financial strength that lasts. Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., First Citizens has built a unique legacy of strength, stability and long-term thinking that has spanned generations. First Citizens offers an array of general banking services including a network of branches and offices nationwide; commercial banking expertise delivering best-in-class lending, leasing and other financial services coast to coast; innovation banking serving businesses at every stage; and a nationwide direct bank. Parent company First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCNCA) is a top 20 U.S. financial institution with more than $225 billion in assets and a member of the Fortune 500™. Discover more at firstcitizens.com.