AMES, Iowa – In honor of America Saves Week, eXtension, with funding from USDA, launched Financial Security for All, www.extension.org/personal+finance, an online tool to help Americans make sound financial decisions.

“We are very pleased to support the great work of eXtension to build knowledge and, in this case, wealth within families throughout our nation and our world,” said Colien Hefferan, administrator of USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES).

Iowa State University (ISU) Extension, along with more than 70 land-grant universities across the nation, works in partnership with CSREES and nine other organizations to encourage Americans to build wealth, not debt (see www.extension.iastate.edu/finances and www.americasaves.org).

CSREES helped provide funding for eXtension, which provides Internet visitors with reliable, up-to-date information on a variety of topics. The Financial Security for All site provides online lessons for self-paced learning in specialized areas of personal finance.

“Quality content developed in a virtual work place by an expert team is the formula for this exemplary, trusted, electronic learning environment. Participants will gain the knowledge, skills, motivation and confidence to make their own financial decisions,” said Jane Schuchardt, National Program Leader for Family Economics at CSREES.

eXtension also contracts with ISU Extension to provide it with online news management (see www.extension.org/news/index/personal+finance).

CSREES advances knowledge for agriculture, the environment, human health and well-being and communities by supporting research, education and extension programs in the Land-Grant University System and other partner organizations. For more information, visit http://www.csrees.usda.gov.

eXtension is an educational partnership of more than 70 land grant universities helping Americans improve their lives with access to timely, objective, research-based information and educational opportunities. Land-grant colleges were founded on the ideals that higher education should be accessible to all and that the college should share knowledge of practical subjects with people throughout their states.
-30-