Over 5 years ago I met Chicago City Treasurer Stephanie Neely when we both volunteered as Principals for a Day at a south side elementary school in Chicago.  I gave her a Money Savvy Pig so she could give it to her then 4-year-old son so they had something visual at home to help them talk about money.  Over the holidays, the Treasurer shared her story with the Chicago Examiner of the impact the Money Savvy Pig has had on her son becoming a “determined saver”.  Here’s a link to the article:  http://www.examiner.com/city-hall-in-chicago/federal-program-teaches-youth-about-money

Since that first meeting, Treasurer Neely has become a wonderful partner and advocate to help reach young Chicago Public School students with lessons of financial literacy.  With the Treasurer, through The Money Savvy Generation Foundation, we created a truly unique and rewarding program called the Financial Education Initiative for Students and Families.  To see a video of the impact from the 2011 program, click below.

Thank you, Treasurer Neely, for sharing the Money Savvy Pig with your son – and for making financial literacy a priority in Chicago. Because of you, and the other program supporters, over 200,000 Chicago Public School elementary students have learned about the basics of personal finance over the last few years.  Lessons that will last a lifetime.  Thank you!