For Gregory Alexandrea Jr., Vice President and Regional Sales Manager at BMO Bank, supporting families through Parenting Matters started with a professional connection, but quickly became personal.
“Parenting Matters is one of those organizations where once you get to know what they do, you have no choice but to help,” Gregory shared during a recent conversation with Parenting Matters Executive Director Katie Becker.
Through BMO Bank, Gregory first became involved by helping connect families to financial literacy education, including workshops offered in Spanish. But over time, his family became part of the Parenting Matters community in another way — through Musical Motion classes attended by his grandchildren.
“We’re talking about four years that we’ve been involved, not just with BMO, but with the Alexandrea family,” he said.
During the interview, Gregory reflected on the impact Musical Motion has had on his grandchildren’s growth and confidence, especially the caring environment created for children and caregivers alike.
“There’s no pressure. If a child is a little shy, they get a chance to warm up. By the second or third visit, they’re running in, giving hugs, and enjoying reading, writing, music, motion — everything.”
The conversation also focused on financial literacy and the role parents play in shaping healthy habits for the next generation.
“I believe financial literacy is a team sport when it comes to families,” Gregory explained. “Parents are going to be the first experience for their kids to learn either good or bad habits.”
From budgeting and planning to understanding the difference between needs and wants, Gregory emphasized that small everyday decisions can have a lasting impact on family stability and future preparedness.
For BMO Bank, the partnership with Parenting Matters has also created meaningful opportunities for employees to grow while giving back to the community. Gregory shared how team members who initially volunteered to help translate workshops have continued their involvement and developed new leadership skills along the way.
“We’re not speaking banking language,” he said. “We’re speaking a language families will understand and hopefully walk away with lessons they can use.”
As the conversation came to a close, Gregory encouraged other businesses to look for ways to support local nonprofits, not only financially, but through time, expertise, and relationships.
“There’s a lot of work that gets done behind the scenes,” he said. “Please look at some way to contribute, and then step back and see how many people can be helped just from the act of giving that you did.”
At Parenting Matters, partnerships like this help strengthen not only individual families, but the community as a whole.
Interested in partnering with Parenting Matters? Whether through volunteerism, sponsorships, or employee engagement opportunities, we’d love to start a conversation about how we can work together to support children and families in our community.
Contact: Rebekah Prieto, Director of Development and Marketing
RPrieto@ParentingMattersFL.org or 941-756-3007