When you’re a kid, you don’t necessarily know you are living in poverty until you do. Charisse was raised, alongside her two siblings, by a single dad in the Florida Keys. He was a tree trimmer, but work wasn’t always plentiful and neither was food. During one particularly rough patch, Charisse’s father took them to a restaurant and only had enough money for them to share one grilled cheese sandwich. You could say these experiences helped shape the rest of her life. The owner of the restaurant came out and gave each of them their own grilled cheese sandwich, and then something else changed. The entire community seemed to rally around this father, who was devoted to raising his three young children. There were two dance studios, a few amazing moms, a local restaurant, and a couple of families that helped shape their lives.

Charisse learned the value of hard work and resiliency from her father, but also the importance of community in times of need. She knew that it took hard work to achieve a goal and that the reward of self-accomplishment was priceless. Charisse also recognized that her father didn’t understand how money worked and that he could have had a different outcome if someone had taught him those important lessons. Charisse made it her mission in her business to do everything she could to educate people on how they could control their future by understanding how to manage their finances. Charisse embodied the statement “knowledge is power” and “how this knowledge inspires confidence.” She has also made giving back to the community that once gave to her a part of her life, as she supports local veterans, anonymously gives back during Christmas to children in need, and helps high school students to pursue their dreams.

The foundation is now working on giving out the first Fresh Start College Scholarships to seniors getting ready to set sail for college. The foundation’s mission is to have the ability to provide three Financial Mentor Sponsorships and three Fresh Start College Scholarships.