Low income and low financial literacy feed each other. Budget Buddies is a student-founded 501(c)(3) working to break that cycle by bringing free, hands-on money education and mentorship to the Miami communities that need it most.
Low income and low financial literacy go hand in hand. We work to break that link one workshop at a time.
Budget Buddies is a registered 501(c)(3) dedicated to empowering individuals in low-income communities with the knowledge and skills to make informed financial decisions. Through interactive workshops and mentoring, we foster financial literacy, encourage healthy habits, and provide the tools people need to build a more secure future.
Ground students in the fundamentals of financial literacy: money that's earned, spent, saved, and grown.
Equip people with money-management habits and strategies for confident, educated decisions.
Provide intentional mentorship that helps students access higher education and opportunity.
Each summer, Breakthrough Miami runs a tuition-free enrichment program for motivated, under-resourced students. We've partnered with them to lead the money side of that education: a complete, month-long financial-literacy course at the Gulliver Prep (MCK) Campus, taking students from the basics all the way to their own personal financial plan. In July, we expanded to a second site at the Overtown Youth Center.
The full 12-lesson course, taught to a cohort of 8 Breakthrough Scholars a day, from the first intro session all the way to the capstone plan.
We expanded to OYC, bringing the core curriculum of intro, budgeting, and savings to a second group of students.
We've posted 3 recaps from this summer's lessons so far. Follow @budgetbuddiesorg to see sessions the day they happen.
Watch the recapsWe bring workshops to the people already doing the work, meeting students and families where they are, through Miami organizations we trust.
Operated by Chapman Partnership, it's Miami-Dade's primary homeless-services provider, offering shelter, meals, and job readiness at its two Homeless Assistance Centers. We bring workshops to residents working to get back on their feet.
A tuition-free, eight-year program that guides motivated, under-resourced students from 5th grade to college through a celebrated students-teaching-students model. We lead the financial-literacy piece of their summer institute.
Prepares adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, many with Down syndrome, for independence and the workforce. We adapt every lesson so money skills click for each learner.
A Catholic college-prep high school for students of limited means, where everyone works one day a week through a corporate work-study program that helps fund their education. We reinforce the money smarts behind those first paychecks.
Founded by Alonzo Mourning in 2003, OYC provides year-round education, mentorship, and enrichment to youth and families in Overtown, and, as of July, our newest program site.
We're always looking for schools, shelters, and programs to bring free financial education to.
Partner with usMoments from our workshops across Miami, grouped by the partners we work with.
Beckham (Beck) Herman is a junior at Gulliver Preparatory School and a dedicated lacrosse player. A natural entrepreneur, he's spent his high-school years exploring where business meets impact, and now leads Budget Buddies day to day as its CEO. What drives him is simple: making financial confidence something every young person can reach, not a privilege for a few.
Jordi Quirch founded Budget Buddies during his sophomore year of high school, after research convinced him that low income and financial illiteracy reinforce one another. A 2025 Gulliver graduate now studying finance at USC's Marshall School of Business, he oversees the organization's curriculum development and workshop execution while leading its expansion into new communities and supporting CEO Beck Herman. He built Budget Buddies on a simple conviction: financial literacy is a right, not a luxury, and the surest way to strengthen a society is to start with the people who need it most.
Whether you run a program, want to teach, or want to give, there's a place for you.
Run a school, shelter, or youth program? We'll bring a free workshop series to your students or residents.
Become a partnerStudents and young professionals: teach a lesson, mentor a student, or help shape the curriculum.
Join the teamEvery dollar funds free workshops, materials, and mentorship for the students who need them most.
DonateRun a shelter, school, or program? We'd love to partner. Reach out and we'll find a session that fits.