News Release

CHICAGO — The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, along with 104 partner organizations, announced today that the third annual Indiana Money Smart Week will be October 11-18, 2008.

During the week, dozens of free educational events will take place at various times and locations across the state. All will provide consumers with education on personal finance and money management. The classes will be on a variety of topics and will be carried out by members of the Indiana Money Smart Advisory Council (MAC).

"The MAC members have shown great enthusiasm for this statewide personal finance initiative," said Doug Tillett, vice president of the Chicago Fed's Public Affairs Department. "With their commitment and hard work, we look forward to another successful week."

Money Smart Week classes are held for consumers of all ages. Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita is leading a group of prominent local officials in support of the effort.

"It is essential that we increase financial literacy and develop healthy financial habits among Hoosiers of all ages so we not only protect our own pockets, but also help strengthen Indiana's economy," Rokita said. "Money Smart Week Indiana helps build our acumen in these areas in an engaging, insightful way."

Money Smart Week will also include the Money Smart Inquisitive Kid Contest, a competition for Indiana elementary students to design a poster showing why it is important to keep feeding the piggy bank. The first-, second-, and third-place winners will receive a savings bond, and his or her teacher will receive a financial literacy curriculum. Again this year, the contest is sponsored by National City Bank.

For more information, please visit http://www.moneysmartweek.org/indiana or call the Money Smart Week Hotline 1-877-MNY-SMRT (1-877-669-7678).

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago promotes financial education by helping coordinate Money Smart Weeks in Indiana as well as Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa.

Money Smart Week is a registered service mark of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

2008 Indiana Money Smart Advisory Council (MAC)

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA)
Bloomfield Apple Festival
Bloomfield-Eastern Green County Public Library
Centier Bank
Citizens Bank (Mooresville)
City of Fort Wayne
City of Gary - Department of Community Development
City of Gary - Homeownership Opportunity Network (HON)
Clarian Health
Community Action of Northeast Indiana, Inc. (CANI)
Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Northeast Indiana
Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Northwest Indiana (CCCS)
Duke Energy
Elder Family Communities
Euell A. Wilson Center
Family Strengthening Coalition
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago — Detroit Branch
Fifth Third Bank
Fort Wayne Housing Authority
Fort Wayne Urban League
Foundation for Investor Education
Freddie Mac
Fulton Terrace Housing Office
Gary Community Schools
George and Francis Ball Foundation
Greater Indiana Financial Planners Association
Greene County Health Department
Hispanic Center - Esperanza en Jesucristo
Huntington Bank
Indiana Bankers Association
Indiana CPA Society
Indiana Certified Financial Planner Society
Indiana Council for Economic Education
Indiana Credit Union League
Indiana Department of Education
Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita
Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita, Securities Division
Indiana Small Business Development Center
Indiana University Northwest
IUPUI Center for Economic Education
Indianapolis Asset Building Coalition
Inquisitive Kids, Inc.
Internal Revenue Service
Ivy Tech College
Jasper County Community Services, Inc.
Junior Achievement of Central Indiana
Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana
King Park Area Development Corporation
Lake Area United Way
Lake City Bank
Lakeshore Public Television
LaPorte Savings Bank, Trust and Investment Services Division
Life Long Learning of Huntington County
Mappleton-Fall Creek Development Corporation
Merrill Lynch
Metro Corps of Gary
Metropolitan High School
Momentive Consumer Credit Counseling Service
Money Savvy Generation, LLC
National City Bank
National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE)
Networks Financial Institute @ Indiana State University
New Albany Floyd County Community Housing
Northwest Indiana ACORN
Northwest Indiana A$$et Building Campaign (NWIABC)
Northwest Indiana Community Action
Old National Bank
Public Service Credit Union
Purdue Extension
Purdue Extension - Allen County
Purdue Extension - Benton County
Purdue Extension - Clark County
Purdue Extension - Greene County
Purdue Extension - Huntington County
Purdue Extension - Jasper County
Purdue Extension - Marion County
Purdue Extension - Montgomery County
Purdue Extension - Newton County
Purdue Extension - Pulaski County
Purdue Extension - Tippecanoe County
Purdue Extension - Warren County
Purdue Extension - White County
Purdue University, Department of Agricultural Economics
SDM Investments, LLC
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
South Lake County Community Services, Inc.
Southeast Community Service Center
Southeastern Indiana Small Business Development Center
Southern Indiana Asset Building Coalition
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
The Gary Community School Corporation
The NIA Group
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
United Way of Allen County
University Place Conference Center & Hotel
VISA Inc.
Volunteer Center @ RSVP
Wayne Township Trustee's Office
Weed & Seed
Wells Fargo Bank
YWCA of Northwest Indiana

Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Background

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago is one of 12 regional Reserve Banks that, along with the Board of Governors in Washington, DC, make up the nation's central bank. The Chicago Reserve Bank serves the 7th Federal Reserve District, which encompasses the northern portions of Illinois and Indiana, southern Wisconsin, the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, and the entire state of Iowa. In addition to participation in the formulation of monetary policy, each Reserve Bank supervises member banks and bank holding companies, provides financial services to depository institutions and the U.S. government, and monitors economic conditions in its District.