Michael Rainey Jr. has teamed up with partners to launch a financial literacy initiative that will benefit his hometown of Staten Island, NY.
Hot97 reports the actor has collaborated with the Restoring America through Recovery Education (R.A.R.E.) Foundation, which aims to provide financial education and training to underserved communities.
“We are dedicated to giving every individual the opportunity to recover, improve, and thrive financially. Our mission is rooted in the belief that everyone, regardless of their past or current circumstances, deserves a respectable chance to achieve financial stability and success,” its website reads.
The partnership facilitated Rainey Jr.’s appearance at Port Richmond High School, where he shared his personal journey in wealth building and provided meaningful advice to students.
“As a kid being in this room I would definitely go home, ask my parents what their credit score is and then start the conversation of when can I become an authorized user on your account so I can start building,” he said in a video shared by the R.A.R.E. Foundation.
Beyond advice, Rainey has also donated upwards of $600,000 towards the financial literacy initiative, which totals an estimated $2.4 million. It will be dispersed to three high schools across Staten Island, NY.
“Huge THANK YOU to @michaelraineyjr for sponsoring Port Richmond High School and providing every student and their parents with essential Financial Literacy Education and Equifax Identity Theft Protection! 🙌🏽 Your commitment to empowering the next generation is truly inspiring,” said the R.A.R.E. Foundation in a shared Instagram post.
It continued, “A special shoutout to the incredible Principal and Staff for welcoming this initiative and to our amazing partners: @therealjermelhoward, @tasherasimmons, and My Freedom Project. Together with the support of The R.A.R.E. Foundation Board of Directors, this marks the first step in our mission to ensure every student in NYC is financially prepared for adulthood. This is just the beginning—many more schools to come! 💪🏽 Let’s make financial literacy a priority for every student!”
