A Fair Share

After working as an art educator, executive director of her family foundation, and managing director of Coyote Junior High in Seattle, Eulalie Scandiuzzi found another calling. She invented the Moonjar money box to teach children about responsible spending and to encourage philanthropy. Each Moonjar kit contains three colorful money compartments: one for spending, one for saving and one for sharing. When a child gets birthday money or an allowance, it can be divided up into the three sections.

“You want to teach them responsible spending and their role in society,” says Scandiuzzi. “A lot of us think, ‘Oh, I’ll share when I get wealthy.’ But all of us have something to give. We need to foster that sense of community when children are young. With Moonjar, children can see how their money grows and that even a quarter can make a difference.” When kids identify a cause they want to support, parents can help them research the right organizations.

- Michelle DeBlasi