The poverty and subsequent hunger that exists in every community can be reduced by empowering children with early financial capabilities, trickling financial empowerment up through parents and caregivers, and spreading lessons and resources out to Maryland schools and afterschool programs.

University of Maryland Extension provides basic financial education for young people and adults through research-based programs, often in collaboration with non-profits and community organizations.

Particular to youth financial education, UME educators are currently involved in schools, afterschool programming, 4-H Clubs across the state and work with children and youth at risk and their families. UME Educators, specialists in adult education, adapt youth financial education curricula to deliver train-the-teacher/youth leader sessions to expand the scope and diversity of outreach.

In addition, UME has become a recognized facilitator of advance training for personal finance educators through the Personal Finance Seminar for Professionals, an annual conference that provides training and updates on matters relevant to helping the individuals and communities that we serve.

Adult Programs:

• Workplace Financial Education: a variety of classes designed to increase knowledge of how to save and invest for retirement.

• Personal Finance Seminar for Professionals: an annual conference that provides training and updates on matters relevant to helping the individuals and communities that we serve. Learn More

• Annie’s Project: a multi-session program that empowers farmwomen to manage information systems used in critical decision making processes and build local networks throughout the state. Learn More

• Health Insurance Literacy: workshops and resources that increase the capacity of Marylanders to get health information, and understand and use it with confidence to lower the risk of poor health. Learn More

Youth and Family Programs:

• Financial Nuggets: designed for family involvement in which both youth and families will increase basic financial capacity and ability to make both short-and long-term decisions regarding spending and saving. Parents will become familiar with how to engage their children in financial capacity activities at home.

Reading Makes Cents: a financial curriculum that uses children’s literature to introduce basic money management concepts of earning, managing, spending, saving, borrowing and lending. Children’s books attract youth to the topics, improve children’s attitudes toward reading, and provide opportunities for youth to practice important life and money skills. Learn More

Family and Consumer Sciences educators who focus on financial education are located throughout the state and provide a variety of programs tailored to specific audiences and to address local needs.

For more information about the programs above or specific programs offered in your area, click here to contact your local Extension office.