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For Immediate Release
Contact: Jim Hedemark, Executive Director
RI Jump$tart Coalition

401.385.9411 | email

Pats Fans Needed to Score "Financial Football" Victory

New England Jump$tart Coalitions Promote Educational Video Game

Rhode Island - January 30, 2012 - The Rhode Island Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy has teamed up with other New England Jump$tart Coalitions to encourage Patriots fans to get online and play "Financial Football," a free financial education, NFL themed video game developed by Visa Inc.,that teaches and rewards players for their knowledge of personal financial topics.

The game can be accessed at: http://www.rhodeisland.financialfootball.com/games/trainingcamp/ff/

According to the game's national leader board, the Patriots rank fifth as of January 30, 2012.The Patriots are being outscored by the Green Bay Packers, the Buffalo Bills, the Tennessee Titans, and the Dallas Cowboys.Fans can increase the Pats' position by playing financial football online, scoring points and winning games by answering multiple-choice questions pertaining to financial literacy.

Dan Hebert, Northeast director of the Jump$tart Coalition is calling on Patriots nation to play the game as much as possible prior to the Super Bowl.

"Taking first place on Financial Football before the Super Bowl would be a great way to show tremendous fan support."Hebert continued, "All fans need to do is visit the website, choose the Patriots as their team and enjoy playing the game while learning about important financial topics."

Financial Football combines the structure and rules of the NFL with financial education questions of varying difficulty to create an innovative approach for helping people of all ages learn about money management.The leader board ranking is constantly in flux and fans can improve their team's standing by playing the game.The game is absolutely free and no personal data is collected.

Jim Hedemark, executive director of the RI Jump$tart Coalition, remarks, "This educational game is an appropriate activity for classrooms, family and friends' gatherings, youth groups, and of course Super Bowl parties."He continued, "Financial topics can be a difficult area of discussion within families.Financial Football helps to open the doors of discussion in a fun and friendly manner."

Jump$tart Coalition leaders helped Visa and the NFL kick off Financial Football in the Patriots' locker-room at Gillette Stadium in December of 2007.Players Wes Welker and Dan Koppen spoke to high school students from each New England state.

"Helping students build strong financial muscles at an early age will give them a real advantage when it comes to planning for their financial futures," Welker said to the group of students gathered in the Patriots visitor locker room. "Managing money and finances is a vital life skill, and one that is best taught, and learned, before high school graduation."

"I'm glad for the opportunity to teach New England students the importance of developing sound money-management skills early in life," Koppen added. "It doesn't matter whether you make $1 or $1 million, if you don't learn to budget, save, invest and pay your bills on time, the personal and national economic consequences can be devastating."

About Rhode Island Jump$tart Coalition
The Rhode Island Jump$tart Coalition is a nonprofit organization incorporated in 2004.A proud affiliate of the national Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, the RIJ$C is comprised of academic, business, and civic leaders who believe that personal financial capability is an essential component of civic life.

About the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy
The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy®, a 501-c-3 non-profit organization, is a partnership of about 150 national organizations and entities from the corporate, non-profit, academic, government and other sectors, which conduct and/or support financial education or offer financial education tools and materials for youth and others. In addition to the national coalition, Jump$tart consists of a network of 49 affiliated state coalitions and their local partners.

The Jump$tart Coalition seeks to improve the personal financial literacy of students in kindergarten through college and is the original promoter of April as Financial Literacy Month. For more information about the Jump$tart Coalition, go to http://www.jumpstart.org or follow us on Twitter at NatlJumpStart.

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