The Institute for Financial Literacy to Host “Financial Literacy Day in Maine”

March 23, 2011 - PRLog -- South Portland, ME – March 23, 2011 – In support of Governor LePage’s proclamation designating April “Financial Literacy Month,” the Institute for Financial Literacy (www.financiallit.org), a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to make effective financial literacy education available for everyone, will host its fourth annual “Financial Literacy Day in Maine” event in the Hall of Flags at the State House on Tuesday, April 5 from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm. Financial Literacy Day is designed to raise the importance of financial literacy education and to encourage all Mainers to equip themselves with the skills necessary to more effectively manage their money, credit, debt and investments. Financial Literacy Day is free and open to the general public.

The need for financial literacy education in Maine is escalating. Since 2007, the number of homes which received foreclosure notices has increased by 300 percent to where nearly 37,000 Maine homeowners received default notices in 2010. Furthermore, over 4,200 Mainers filed for bankruptcy protection last year, an 82 percent increase since 2007.

“Given the alarming rise in financial hardship across the state, Mainers need to know what educational resources are available to help them through these difficult times,” said Leslie E. Linfield, Executive Director and Founder of the Institute for Financial Literacy. “Financial Literacy Day is an important step in this process as it is designed to spotlight organizations working to make financial literacy education available to those who need it most.”

Highlighting this year’s Financial Literacy Day speaker lineup is State Treasurer Bruce Poliquin, Director of Maine Housing Dale McCormick, Securities Administrator Judith Shaw and State Representative Ben Chipman. Several Maine-based financial literacy organizations will also be in attendance showcasing their efforts to provide effective and actionable financial literacy education to Maine citizens. These organizations include:

•   The Finance Authority of Maine
•   Junior Achievement of Maine
•   The Maine Association of Family and Consumer Sciences
•   Maine Centers for Women, Work and Community
•   Maine Educational Services
•   Maine’s Office of Securities
•   NextGen, featuring the Harold Alfond College Challenge
•   University of Maine Extension

For more information about Financial Literacy Day in Maine, please call 207-221-3601.

Follow the Institute for Financial Literacy on Twitter: www.twitter.com/FinancialLit
and Facebook: www.facebook.com/FinancialLit.

About the Institute for Financial Literacy
The Institute for Financial Literacy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to make effective financial literacy education available for everyone. As a national authority on adult financial education, the Institute advances professionalism and effectiveness in the field of financial literacy by setting the National Standards for Adult Financial Literacy Education™, hosting the Annual Conference on Financial Education™, maintaining the Library of Personal Finance™, and administering the Center for Financial Certifications®, Center for Consumer Financial Research™, and Council on Financial Education Accreditation. For more information about the Institute, please visit www.financiallit.org or call 207-221-3601.

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The mission of the Institute for Financial Literacy is to make effective financial literacy education available for all American adults.