Official Kick-off Event for Money Smart Week DuPage County April 19, 2010

Ben Franklin said it himself: “A penny saved is a penny earned.” Taking those words to heart, organizers announce the official kick-off event of the second annual Money Smart Week® DuPage County. The event will take place at 7 – 8:30 p.m. Monday, April 19, at Benedictine University, Krasa Center, 5700 College Rd., Lisle. Everyone in DuPage County is invited to this free event.

The kick-off keynote speaker is Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. As State Treasurer, he took Illinois' Bright Start college savings program from one of the worst in the nation to one of the best, with Money Magazine and Consumer Reports highlighting it as one of the top programs in the country. Prior to joining public service, he was a community banker in Chicago. He graduated cum laude from Boston University, earned a law degree from Tulane University’s School of Law in New Orleans.

Money Smart Week DuPage is April 17 - 24, 2010. More than 20 DuPage organizations are involved in this financial literacy initiative. Leaders from local businesses, financial institutions, libraries, not-for-profits, and government agencies have planned more than 60 free programs on a wide variety of financial topics.

Programs will take place in dozens of locations throughout the county. Topics will appeal to young people, wealth-builders, seniors, future homebuyers, individuals with credit troubles, people who are laid off, people who’d like to retire but can’t, or those simply looking to wisely manage their money.

The history of Money Smart Week began in 2002 as a coordinated effort of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the Money Smart Advisory Council in order to share resources and ideas to achieve greater public awareness of the programs and services available in the city of Chicago.

Today, Money Smart Week is a multi-state public awareness campaign that stresses the importance of financial literacy. It informs consumers where they can get help, and provides free educational seminars and activities in multiple locations during one week in the spring.

At the kick-off event, the winner of the Money Smart Week DuPage essay contest will be announced and named DuPage County’s financial literacy student ambassador.

Ben Franklin (costumed actor) will attend the DuPage County Board meeting for the vote to proclaim April 17-24 Money Smart Week DuPage. The meeting will take place at 10 a.m., Tuesday, April 13, at the DuPage County Board Room, Jack T. Knuepfer Administrative Building, 421 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton

The Money Bus tours the country offering free, personalized advice to help individuals start saving money and get their finances in order. The money bus will be from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 21, at College of DuPage. More information is available at: http://www.yourmoneybus.com.

DuPage classes and programs are offered to all demographics and income levels and cover all facets of personal finance. For a complete listing of programs available, visit: http://www.moneysmartweekdupage.com.

Official Website: http://www.moneysmartweekdupage.com