Contact: Communications Director George Althoff, 608-261-4504
MADISON – Dozens of communities across the state will celebrate Money Smart Week® Wisconsin April 5-12 with hundreds of events focused on improving the personal financial awareness of Wisconsin citizens.
Money Smart Week® Wisconsin is the highlight of April being national financial literacy awareness month, a joint effort by state and federal government agencies and private-sector organizations to raise awareness of the importance and value of financial literacy.
The Governor’s Council on Financial Literacy, in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, is spearheading Money Smart Week® Wisconsin, the celebration of which was proclaimed by Governor Scott Walker earlier this year.
Dozens of communities have scheduled free events to teach consumers of all ages about personal finance during the week. Many of the events will be geared toward elementary school-age children. A list of scheduled events may be found at www.moneysmartweek.org (click on “Find an event or activity” on the right side of the page, then click on the abbreviation WI).
Initiatives being planned during April include:
– “The Big Read,” a statewide event for children in Grades PreK-4 during Money Smart Week®. At dozens of locations across the state, adults will read “Curious George Saves His Pennies” by Margaret and H.A. Rey or “Bunny Money” by Rosemary Wells to children. More than 8,500 complimentary copies of the book will be distributed. The book giveaway is being funded by the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) and the Office of Financial Literacy; Edvest Wisconsin College Savings Plan; and the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance.
– Wisconsin Teach Children to Save Day on April 11, sponsored by the Wisconsin Bankers Association.
– National Credit Union Youth Week, April 20-26, sponsored by the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) and the Wisconsin Credit Union League.
– National Credit Education Week, April 20-26, sponsored by CBM – – Credit Education Foundation Inc.
– Community Banking Month throughout April, sponsored by the Community Bankers of Wisconsin.
April is Financial Literacy Month, sponsored by the National Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy and Wisconsin Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy (www.jumpstart.org/faq.html).
“I applaud the efforts of Wisconsin’s business community for their support of financial literacy awareness efforts,” said Peter Bildsten, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. “The seminars and workshops scheduled during April will help Wisconsin citizens, young and old alike, to become more financially literate. These efforts are good for Wisconsin consumers and good for the state’s economy.”
