Dozens of communities across the state will celebrate Money Smart Week® Wisconsin, April 23-30, with hundreds of events focused on improving the personal financial awareness of Wisconsin citizens, the Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) announced today. Money Smart Week® Wisconsin is the highlight of April as 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. “I commend Wisconsin’s business community for its support of financial literacy awareness efforts,” said DFI Secretary Lon Roberts. “The seminars and workshops scheduled throughout April will help our citizens, young and old alike, improve their financial capabilities. These efforts are good for consumers and good for Wisconsin’s economy.” 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<http://wdfi.org/ymm/govcouncilfinlit/MoneySmartWeekWisconsin2016Proclamation.pdf>.
Communities have scheduled free events to teach consumers of all ages about personal finance during the week. A listing of scheduled events can be found at www.moneysmartweek.org<http://www.moneysmartweek.org> (click on the “Find Events” box, then click on Wisconsin “WI” on the map). Initiatives being planned 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 “Start Saving, Henry!” by Nancy Carlson. More than 2,000 complimentary copies of the book will be distributed. The book giveaway is being funded by DFI and the Office of Financial Literacy, along with local sponsors.
