BALTIMORE — The nonprofit Maryland CASH (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope) Campaign and its partners across Maryland are celebrating April as national “Financial Education Month” by joining “Money Smart Week®” April 18 – 25. “Money Smart Week®” is a nationwide public awareness campaign that promotes financial education across all age groups. The Maryland CASH Campaign will offer special opportunities for Marylanders to attend events, classes and workshops where they can learn new ways to better manage their personal finances. All events, workshops and classes are FREE!
During “Money Smart Week®”, the Maryland CASH Campaign’s signature program, the Maryland CASH Academy, will offer sixteen classes held throughout Maryland including classes in Baltimore City and the following counties: Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Charles, Frederick, Garrett, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince Georges. Locate the class near you at www.mdcashacademy.org. Everyone who attends Maryland CASH Academy classes during “Money Smart Week®” April 18 – 25 will receive a gift for participating. The Maryland CASH Academy is the state’s only online resource for free or low-cost in-person classes on financially related topics such as creating budgets, home buying, saving for the future, and more.
There’s a new incentive for participants in the Maryland CASH Academy’s “Passport to Prosperity” program during Financial Education Month: People who have signed up and earned at least three points anytime in the month of April will be entered into a drawing where three will win a $50 cash card to redeem at either a gas station or grocery store – their choice. The Maryland CASH Academy launched its “Passport to Prosperity” incentive program in 2014 to encourage participants to take charge of their finances and create excitement about learning. Anyone interested in joining “Passport to Prosperity” can sign up online at http://mdcashacademy.org/passport-to-prosperity. After signing up, students earn points allowing them to work their way up the ladder of financial success from “Student” to the top rung of “Ambassador”. Points may be earned in a variety of ways including: attend CASH Academy classes, do something financially-related like checking their credit report, or reach a financial goal such as saving a set amount of money, as well as other options.
”April’s Financial Education Month, and particularly ‘Money Smart Week®’, are the perfect time to remind everyone that learning how to manage money can be fun as well as interesting,” comments Robin McKinney, Director, Maryland CASH Campaign. “Sure, money can be stressful but the classes offered through the Maryland CASH Academy are designed to simply explain how to build financial security. And of course, all the classes are free! The Maryland CASH Campaign and our partners statewide want everyone to remember that it can be fun to build your financial IQ, one class at a time.”
Across the U.S., “Money Smart Week®” events are open to the public at businesses, financial institutions, schools, libraries, nonprofits and government agencies throughout the country on topics including kids and money, unemployment, managing student debt and retirement. Started by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in 2002, “Money Smart Week®” consists of public and private partner organizations offering thousands of free classes, seminars and other educational activities. www.moneysmartweek.org
Classes being held in Baltimore City:
April 18
Spending, Sharing, Saving
11 AM-2 PM
Enoch Pratt Free Library
400 Cathedral St.
Baltimore, MD 21210
April 20
Rock Your Credit
6-7:30 PM
Enoch Pratt Free Library
400 Cathedral St.
Baltimore, MD 21210
April 21
Small Business Protection Strategies
11:45 AM-1 PM
Enoch Pratt Free Library
400 Cathedral St.
Baltimore, MD 21210
April 22
Rock Your Credit Score
5-7 PM
Southeast Anchor Branch Library – Auditorium
3601 Eastern Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21224
April 23
Daily Money Management
12:30-1:30PM
725 Fallsway (@Madison)
Baltimore, MD 21202