Governor Corbett Proclaims April as 'Financial Education Month'

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Proclaiming April to be "Financial Education Month," Governor Tom Corbett today urged Pennsylvanians to take time to learn about personal financial management to create a more secure future for themselves and their families.

"Families wrestle with financial issues over kitchen tables all across Pennsylvania," Corbett said. "As we in state government work to create a sound financial future for Pennsylvania, it is also important for families to use the planning tools they need to create a brighter future for themselves."

Pennsylvania's financial education website, www.moneysbestfriend.com, provides information on a wide array of personal finance topics, ranging from creating a budget to what the new federal credit card rules mean for consumers to coping with the financial repercussions of a death, divorce, illness, or job loss. Web visitors can also enter their ZIP code to find local financial education resources offered by non-profit organizations, government agencies and other reputable sources.

The Pennsylvania Office of Financial Education offers expertise to help employers, schools, and community groups better educate individuals and families. The office shows employers how to provide personal finance tips, tools and training to their employees; helps teachers incorporate personal finance principles into their courses; and provides assistance to community-based organizations to improve their delivery of high-quality financial education and counseling.

The Office of Financial Education will host the fifth annual Common Wealth Symposium on May 17-18 to help employers and community organizations launch or enhance financial education programs. The office has worked with 40 Pennsylvania companies and state agencies in providing workplace financial education to nearly 12,000 employees.

In 2010, the Office of Financial Education received numerous awards including two national awards: the Organization of the Year Award (Non Profit) by the Institute for Financial Literacy, and the Bright Idea Award by the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.  

For more information, visit www.moneysbestfriend.com.  

Media contacts:

Kelli Roberts, Governor's Office; 717-783-1116

Ed Novak, Department of Banking; 717-783-4721

Editor's Note: Text of Governor's proclamation follows.

FINANCIAL EDUCATION MONTH - April 2011

WHEREAS, as Pennsylvania's business community recovers from recession and grows, financial education is also important to helping Pennsylvania consumers achieve financial security, meet personal financial goals and contribute to the commonwealth's economic growth and prosperity; and

WHEREAS, the Pennsylvania Office of Financial Education will offer programs again this year to help teachers, community-based organizations and employee benefits professionals provide high quality, age-appropriate financial education; and

WHEREAS, many Pennsylvania financial institutions will participate in "Teach Children to Save Day" on April 12 and "National Credit Union Youth Week," which will be celebrated from April 17-23, during which financial professionals will visit schools and teach young people basic principles of saving and spending; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Banking assists thousands of Pennsylvanians each year, through its Office of Consumer Services, to make informed decisions on financial matters; and

WHEREAS, the Pennsylvania Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, is working to improve financial education in kindergarten through twelfth grade.

THEREFORE, in special recognition of the importance of affordable, accessible, high-quality financial education, I, Tom Corbett, Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, do hereby proclaim April 2011 FINANCIAL EDUCATION MONTH in Pennsylvania and encourage all citizens, parents, teachers, community leaders and others to seek ways to improve their own personal finance habits.

GIVEN under my hand and the Seal of the Governor, at the City of Harrisburg, this first day of April in the year of our Lord two thousand and eleven, and of the Commonwealth the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

TOM CORBETT, Governor

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Banking