(MONEY Magazine) – At MONEY, we're celebrating our 25th anniversary year by giving something back to America. In fact, we're "adopting" the city of Elgin, Ill. to enhance the personal-finance savvy of its residents with free seminars, financial planning sessions, a scholarship program, online advice and MONEY subscriptions.

Former President and Mrs. George Bush recently helped kick off our project, and we're already helping Elgin residents realize their American dreams by providing the requisite insight, information and inspiration. And, since Elgin is a mirror of America, we plan to share its lessons, showing millions more how to build a brighter future.

Our effort is audacious and hugely ambitious. That's why we're so pleased to have three extraordinary co-sponsors for The MONEY Project: Advising Elgin.

Fidelity Investments, Microsoft Corp. and the NASDAQ Stock Market are all providing unparalleled resources and talent to help make this an unqualified success.

Fidelity Investments, the nation's largest mutual fund company and a leading provider of financial services, will utilize its five Chicago-area investor centers to help residents plan for retirement with a series of programs for individual investors and small businesses--and will also provide Fidelity's Retirement Planning Thinkware online at no charge.

Microsoft Corp., the worldwide leader in software for personal computers, will empower Elgin residents with a wide range of products and services--including Microsoft Money '97 personal-finance software--as well as subscriptions to Microsoft Investor on the Microsoft Network, which helps people organize, track and understand their investments.

The NASDAQ Stock Market, the nation's fastest-growing stock market and the world's first electronic market, offers personal and online informational services to enhance understanding of how stock markets work. NASDAQ's multilevel program will include forums for every kind of investor, and the firm will add a special Elgin section to its Website.

And thanks also to Pontiac--the official car of the MONEY Project: Advising Elgin.

All these outstanding firms hold a key to the success of this unprecedented initiative, and we greatly appreciate their support.

Cordially, GEOFFREY DODGE, Publisher