A new year means new resolutions, and for many those resolutions will include getting a better handle on managing their finances in 2012. The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) has launched an innovative, new online financial resource tool for consumers called MyMoneyCheckUp™.

MyMoneyCheckUp™ is a completely FREE online tool available on the NFCC website, www.DebtAdvice.org, or at www.MyMoneyCheckUp.org, and is designed to provide an assessment of a consumer’s overall financial health and behavior in four designated areas of personal finance including:

• Budgeting and credit management;
• Saving and investing;
• Planning for retirement;  and
• Managing home equity.

This new tool was created to align with the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Education Core Competencies, and is an example of a successful collaboration between community-based nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and the public and private sectors.

The Only Comprehensive Web-based Financial Self-Assessment Tool Available

• Provides individual evaluations for each financial management track: Budgeting, Borrowing, Saving, Housing, and Retirement.

• Allows for easy online access and availability. The tool can be utilized by the same user multiple times to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of the counseling and education provided.

The NFCC invites you to test MyMoneyCheckUp for yourself. Visit MyMoneyCheckUp.org today! It is our hope that consumers who are ready to take control of their financial well-being can now easily do so… for free!

For more information visit www.DebtAdvice.org. And be sure to follow the NFCC on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

February 16^th marks the launch of the Code Purple Event during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York City. The event will spread awareness and raise funds to distribute this product to every soul living in an environment where Malaria is a risk factor. The fundraising event will feature unique collections from the aforementioned designers, as well as special musical guest performances, a live auction, raffles, and giveaways.

Check out this video to learn more:

How can you get activated?

• Win a Ticket to The Code Purple Event:  If you are in the NYC area, head on down to Mood Fabrics starting on January 16^th, located at 225 West 37th Street New York, NY, and take a picture with your Mood bag. BE OUR STAR and STEP in front of the Code Purple Event Step-and-Repeat.  Then log onto Code Purple’s Facebook Page, post your picture to the Wall, and immediately tell us why you are inspired by this campaign and should be at the event on February 16^th in NYC! Winner must provide their own transportation to and from the event.
• Wear Your Support: If you can’t make it to the event, you can show support by picking up your hoodie at www.INGactivewear.com or make a donation at www.codepurpleevent.com.  For every hoodie purchased through ING Activewear’s website, ING Activewear will contribute by donating another hoodie to be sent to Africa to better someone’s life.

Join Code Purple Event in their mission of Covering, Protecting, and Saving Lives. Get ACTIVATED today!

As research continues to advance our understanding of cancer, there’s now a new way for doctors to take better aim in the care of their cancer patients, using evidence-based molecular profiling to help determine which cancer therapies are more likely to be effective and which therapies are likely to be ineffective.

A new evidence-based molecular profiling system – called Caris Target Now™ – is bringing about dramatic changes in the personalization of cancer care.

No two cancers are alike and cancer treatment plans shouldn’t be either. Treatment that works well for one person may be ineffective for another, because each patient’s cancer has different genetics.  Caris Target Now™ makes it possible to detect those differences, match a tumor’s genetics with specific drugs more likely to be effective, and flag therapies with less chance of working.

Personalized cancer treatment like this can increase quality of life, uncover treatments previously not considered, and cut healthcare costs.

One multicenter study conducted by Caris Life Sciences, and published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, showed that Caris Target Now™ molecular profiling increased progression free survival from various cancers, including late-stage cancer, in 27 percent of 86 patients studied who had their therapy selected this way, versus the previous therapy on which they had progressed.

Interested in more information?   Watch as Sandeep K. Reddy, MD, oncology expert and clinical associate professor of medicine, Geffen/UCLA School of Medicine, discusses Caris Target Now™, and as Sandra Fehrman, a cancer patient, explains how this technology helped to extend and enhance her life, in this  moving video.

For more information about the role of molecular profiling in cancer therapy selection visit www.mycancer.com.

Imagine being someone who lives with a very rare and potentially life-threatening genetic condition that that occurs in about 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 50,000 people. Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) causes attacks of painful, debilitating, and disfiguring swelling that make its victims virtually unrecognizable.  Until recently, anabolic steroids—which can cause unwanted short- and long-term side effects—were the only treatment choice available. In the new “Looking at HAE from the Outside In” Public Service Announcement (PSA) Campaign, the U.S. Hereditary Angioedema Association (HAEA) is empowering patients with the knowledge that there is a new era for HAE treatment and patients now have a choice.

Anabolic steroids, as the only FDA-approved treatment for HAE, did help patients manage their symptoms, but they are not considered suitable for children.  And many patients–especially women–have expressed concerns about steroid-related side effects such as weight gain, facial hair growth, mood changes, and menstrual irregularities.  Anabolic steroids may also cause liver toxicity and elevated cholesterol levels, which may be associated with increased risk for heart attack and stroke.

Because of these risks, the HAEA has released a new public service announcement that brings the symptoms of HAE to life in a way never before seen.  Using cutting-edge special effects technology, the viewer sees the bodies of HAE patients morph from swollen to normal, amplifying what it feels like to have an HAE attack using authentic patient words and images. The PSA educates viewers about the potential risks associated with anabolic steroids and empowers HAE patients to enter a new era for HAE treatment – patients now have a choice. I invite you to check out this new, informative video PSA below:

This PSA campaign is the latest in the HAEA’s efforts to promote education and empowerment as the cornerstones of broader awareness of HAE and improved patient outcomes. If you think you or a loved one may be living with Hereditary Angioedema, please visit www.haea.org for more information on physician referrals, available treatment options and more.

Please join Girls’ Lunch Out, WestGlen, and the National Foundation for Credit Counseling on Twitter Wednesday, December 7 at 9 pm ET to talk about holiday spending, get holiday spending tips, and learn about tools to help you become  “Money Chic” this holiday season and throughout the entire year.

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) is the nation’s largest non-profit financial counseling organization. The NFCC provides financial counseling and education on all things money like smart spending during the holidays, how to create a monthly budget, and calculators to help you buy a home or pay off debt.

We’ll have lot of fun discussing money saving tips for the holiday shopping season, and we’ll be giving away prizes to help you get (and stay) Money Chic.

Get Money Chic with @girlslunchout and @NFCCdebtadvice

Date: Wednesday, December 7

Time: 9-10 pm ET

TweetGrid Link: http://bit.ly/sodoq6

Hashtag: #NFCCMoneyChic

Hosts: @GirlsLunchOut and @NFCCdebtadvice

RSVP for prizes to help you get Money Chic!

Help us spread the word by tweeting:

Get #NFCCMoneyChic with @girlslunchout and @NFCCdebtadvice http://bit.ly/usxPOs Wednesday 12/7 at 9 pm ET

Follow the NFCC on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for  money tips about buying a home, saving for college, paying off debt, or saving money for retirement.

October is National Spina Bifida Awareness Month, a time to educate the public and further understanding about Spina Bifida while celebrating the lives of the more than 166,000 Americans affected. Every day in the United States, an average of 8 births are affected by Spina Bifidaor a similar birth defect of the brain and spine. It remains the most commonly occurring complex birth defect in this country.

The root cause of Spina Bifida is unknown and the effects for each person are different. Hispanics have an abnormally high rate of diagnosis. Hispanic mothers are one-and-a-half to two times more likely to give birth to a child with Spina Bifida than non-Hispanic Caucasians.

Spina Bifida is not one condition. It is a multitude of problems that affect the mind, the body and the spirit. Advancements in treatment and prevention, however, have opened new doors for those with Spina Bifida. While it presents unique challenges, those affected by Spina Bifida are able to attend school, work, raise a family, and spend time with friends just like everyone else.

This year the Spina Bifida Association (SBA) hopes to bring to light through pictures the successes of those who live each day with this birth defect.

By launching “Celebrate SB,” a Facebook photo contest designed to acknowledge the accomplishments of our community, people around the country can encourage each other to tell their story through a symbolic photo or favorite frame. These pictures aim to highlight how our community celebrates their lives — going to school, working, raising a family, spending time with friends — every day while taking on a multitude of challenges that affect the mind, the body, and the spirit.

To learn more about contest rules, please visit: www.facebook.com/spina.bifida.learn.

Encourage people in your community to join us on Facebook and VOTE throughout the end of October! This is a month of celebration.

For more information about Spina Bifida Awareness Month, please visit: www.spinabifidaassociation.org

Did you know that there are currently over 7 million children in the U.S. who suffer from asthma? The The Will Rogers Institute, the nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting medical research and educating the general public on topics of health and fitness, is sharing an exclusive PSA campaign with the public this month.

It’s startling to learn, but asthma has been identified as one of the country’s most common and costly illnesses!  Because of this fact, we must do everything we can to educate and discuss this condition and help change these statistics for the future of our children.   WRI has released a new PSA campaign that highlights the danger signs and health risks associated with asthma, starring Emmy award winning actor Bryan Cranston, best known for his starring role in the AMC drama series Breaking Bad.

For an exclusive look at the PSA, please visit the campaign page: www.westglen.com/online/wripsa.html

This month, with the help of Cranston, WRI is getting out there and sharing this PSA with the public.  The simple signs of asthma to look out for include:

• Difficulty breathing
• Wheezing
• Coughing
• Shortness of breath

Take notice of these signs and symptoms and determine whether it’s appropriate to talk to their child’s doctor about asthma. Together, by educating, we can really make a difference.

You can show your support by  getting the word out about this PSA campaign by sharing with your blog, Facebook or Twitter followers.

For even more information, including free health booklets, please visit: www.WRInstitute.org.

There’s always a risk of becoming a victim of identity theft. But did you know there are many things people can do to minimize that risk both online and offline? That’s why the nonprofit, National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) has teamed up with the National Sheriffs’ Association and the National Association of Triads to encourage you to fight identity theft by taking part in the 4th Annual Protect Your Identity Week, October 16-22.

Although it’s important for all of us to protect ourselves from identity theft, a special emphasis is being placed on child identity theft protection this October. It’s scary that studies have shown children are 51 times more likely to have their Social Security numbers stolen than adults. As an adult, we must set an example by arming ourselves with the resources and information needed to keep children’s identities safe.

Here are a few of the many ways to get involved with PYIW this year:

• NFCC Member Agencies and supporting Coalition Members will offer free identity theft education and protection events in communities across the country this month, including workshops, cell phone recycling, and paper shredding powered by Cintas, a leader in document destruction. AllClear ID, a recognized expert in identity theft protection, will provide materials on ID theft education in general as well as tips specific to child identity theft. To find an event near you, check out this event map!
• Easy to follow tips, resources and a self-assessment ID Quiz to determine your own personal risk of identity theft are all available for your reference on the Protect Your ID Now website.
• Be sure to also read and share the First Steps For Victims section so that you will be prepared in case you’re the next victim.
• Finally, get involved with PYIW on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and the blog at www.ProtectYourIDNow.org where tips and PYIW articles will be provided all throughout October.

Please join the fight by encouraging your friends, family, and readers to visit www.ProtectYourIDNow.org to learn more and get involved.

As Bridgestone Americas’ Teens Drive Smart Road Show Rally, a high school grant contest promoting safe driving, comes to a close this week, there is still time for all interested teens to get their video submissions in for a chance to win a $5,000 donation to their school!

Any individual or group of teens interested in participating in this contest are to create a 30-second to two-minute video describing the following:

• What they have done in their community to spread the safe driving message;
• What they would like to do in the future to alert others about the dangers of driving distracted;
• And why a road show rally should come to their school.

Entrants will be judged by three criteria: Creativity, Need, and Story and are to submit their videos by this Friday, October 7^th. The grand prize winning school will receive the Road Show Rally and $5,000 donation!

More information can be found by visiting www.teensdrivesmart.com/road-show-rally-tour.html. Be sure to also check out Teens Drive Smart on Facebook and Twitter!

Did you know that according to the U.S. Coast Guard, of those who died in boating accidents in 2010, almost three-fourths of all accident victims drowned — and more than 85 percent of those who drowned were not wearing a life jacket? Most boaters know to have a life jacket on board for every passenger on their vessel. But having them on board and wearing them could mean the difference between a great day on the water and a potential tragedy. That’s why the National Safe Boating Council (NSBC) is encouraging the public to join the ‘Wear It!’campaign, a fun way to remind family and friends about the importance of boating safety, education, and to help save lives!

To further encourage safe and responsible boating, the NSBC and their partner organizations recently launched a new awareness video urging the public to be alert and aware while on the water, and always wear a life jacket. This special message can be viewed by visiting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hve8Mu5a_cw.

For those interested in this important awareness campaign, below are a few of the many ways to get involved:

• Share the informative Awareness Video with your family, and remind them that there’s no excuse not to ‘Wear It!’
• Enter the Safe Summer Campaign Contest by submitting a safe boating story. The contest has been extended until September 30, 2011! The grand prize winner will receive a Summer Fun package, which includes a life jacket, beach towel and Flip Mino HD camcorder!
• Check out Boating Safety “Sidekicks”, a safe boating kidsite, where children can learn about the importance of wearing a life jacket early on with coloring pages, games, quizzes and more!

To learn more, visit www.safeboatingcampaign.com, and follow the NSBC on Facebook and Twitter!