By Carolyn Merryweather and Frank Stabile
September 12, 2005

Dollar Wi$e Week Sept. 26 through October 1 Support Dollar Wi$e Week by joining the Mayors National Dollar Wi$e Campaign! Join the 55 cities participating in Dollar Wi$e Week, and sign your city up at www.dollarwiseonline.org.

Mayors in 55 cities across the country are preparing to hold events during Dollar Wi$e Week, from September 26-October 1. Dollar Wi$e Week is part of the U.S. Conference of Mayors- National Dollar Wi$e Campaign, and is an opportunity for mayors participating in the campaign to showcase their city's ongoing efforts to increase financial literacy.

Mayors are encouraged to join the campaign during Dollar Wi$e Week if they have not already done so, to issue proclamations in support of the importance of financial literacy, and to hold an event that helps promote financial education in their city.

In Miami, Mayor Manuel Diaz has already held a number of Dollar Wi$e events, including a course for Miami-Dade and Broward county educators in July. The seminar focused on how teachers can include financial literacy education as part of their curriculum.

"By instructing kids early how to wisely spend their money and protecting their credit we can save them from financial problems later on in life," said Mayor Diaz at the event. Additional courses for city residents are planned for Dollar Wi$e Week.

In Quincy, IL, Mayor John Spring is working with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the Quincy Chamber of Commerce, and local employers on the Your Paycheck program. This program teaches teens about banking and their first paycheck during an employer'sponsored course taught by students from area universities. The first class is scheduled to take place during Dollar Wi$e Week.

The Dollar Wi$e Campaign is an ongoing financial literacy program created by the U.S. Conference of Mayors- Council for the New American City. The campaign works with mayors to create local programs to educate citizens about financial issues including savings, homeownership, credit, and debt management.

To learn more about the Dollar Wi$e Campaign and Dollar Wi$e Week, please contact Carolyn Merryweather at (202) 861-6759 or at dollarwise@usmayors.org.