FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT Kelly Lammers, Director
Phone 402-471-2171
Email kelly.lammers@nebraska.gov
Governor Ricketts Proclaims April as Financial Awareness Month, State Capitol to turn Green
March 24, 2022 (LINCOLN, NE) – Today Gov. Pete Ricketts proclaimed the month of April as Financial Awareness Month in Nebraska. The proclamation recognizes the importance of financial awareness to Nebraskans and that Nebraska is a leader in financial innovation, financial literacy education, and consumer and vulnerable adult protection. Additionally, the Nebraska Capitol will be lit up in green for Financial Awareness Month on April 1-3.
The month-long financial awareness campaign is an initiative from the Nebraska Council of Economic Education (NCEE) and the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance (NDBF). Nebraska banks, credit unions, securities professionals, state agencies, consumer groups, and private sector organizations are conducting a variety of educational activities in schools, workplaces, and communities to educate Nebraskans about the importance of setting goals, making wise financial decisions, and protecting yourself and your financial future.
“Whether you are just starting out, or have been saving and investing for some time, April is a great opportunity to review your financial health and awareness. Consider working with a bank, credit union, or registered securities professional to help protect and grow your finances,” said NDBF Director Kelly Lammers. “There have been a number of recent financial initiatives, from the Financial Innovation Act to added consumer protections for vulnerable and senior adults. It’s important to review the basics as well as learn about new products like cryptocurrencies and digital assets to improve your financial awareness.”
“We at NCEE primarily focus on K-12 financial education. If we can reach kids early and install good financial habits, we have changed their financial futures. I encourage everyone to engage with something during this April Financial Awareness Month. Financial literacy is a life-long pursuit. No matter what age and stage you’re at, we can always do something to better our financial position,” said NCEE president, Dr. Jennifer Davidson.
NDBF Director Lammers and Dr. Jennifer Davidson, President of NCEE, encourage all Nebraskans to take part in financial awareness efforts offered by NCEE, NDBF, and other organizations, including:
- The Nebraska Council on Economic Education is the premiere organization providing economic and financial education and resources to Nebraska. NCEE programming and resources can be found at http://nebraskacouncil.unl.edu and http://nceefinance.org.
- NDBF has information and four new My MoNEy videos on financial education topics at https://ndbf.nebraska.gov/consumers/consumer-resources.
- The Office of the Nebraska Attorney General has information on how to protect yourself from identity theft and scams at https://ProtectTheGoodLife.Nebraska.gov.
- The Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office, in partnership with NCEE, has a new a new, robust and personalized financial education learning center, Enrich. https://nast.enrich.org/landing/nast-start-nebraska
- The Nebraska Bankers Association and its 162 member banks are pleased to support Nebraska Financial Awareness Month. Nebraska banks are committed to improving financial literacy in the communities they serve. They sponsor programs and offer tools to help Nebraskans of all ages improve their financial decision-making and reach their financial goals. Individuals and families who have a solid financial education foundation are more likely to purchase a home, save for college and invest which, in turn, helps Nebraska communities thrive. Nebraska banks are also watching out for their customers. They pushed for the passage of legislation that allows them to place a hold on a transaction if they suspect a vulnerable customer is a victim of financial exploitation.
- For the Nebraska Credit Union League, promoting financial well-being for all is a critical component in the fulfilment of the credit union mission of People Helping People. Financially healthy credit union members lead to healthy credit unions and healthy communities. Financial well-being isn’t “a thing” credit unions do. It is “the thing.”
- FPA of Nebraska is a professional organization for Certified Financial Planners™ and supports various financial literacy programs through Junior Achievement and other initiatives.
- Nebraska Independent Community Bankers encourages Nebraskans to talk about financial needs and solutions with the local Community Bank in April and thereafter whenever questions arise. AARP encourages Nebraskans to visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork or call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 1-877-908-3360 to report a scam or get help if you’ve fallen victim.
- Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA-PBL) is a national career and technical student organization for students in middle school, high school, and college who are interested in business administration, business education, management, finance, and information technology careers. Over 5800 students in more than 150 secondary schools and 13 postsecondary schools in Nebraska participate in the FBLA-PBL organization. FBLA offers over 15 competitive events in the finance career field to include financial literacy. Benefits of FBLA membership are leadership development, career preparation, community service, networking with business and community leaders, and challenging competitions.
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