Young people grow up in a culture that sends mixed messages about the importance of financial well-being and benefits of living a debt-free life.

• On the one hand, we value wealth and prosperity
• On the other, we make credit a form of instant money, we fund our schools with lottery tickets, and we bail out people who have made unwise financial choices.

These messages leave young people with very little guidance on the tasks of managing impulsive spending and planning for a financially healthy future. 

The staff of LEAF, through the Underage Gambling and Problem Gambling Prevention Project, seeks to provide clear guidance to young people (and their families) related to:

• Healthy attitudes toward no gambling for underage youth and low-risk gambling for adults.
• Saving money, even in small amounts, as a pro-social value for life success.
• Limiting debt as a way to maintain financial well-being.