Financial Literacy

Dear Northern District of Illinois Probation Team,

I hope this message finds you well. I am excited to announce the launch of a new class focused on Basic Financial Education, specifically designed for persons under supervision and pre-release status. This initiative aims to equip participants with essential financial skills that will empower them to manage their finances effectively and make informed decisions.

The class will cover a variety of topics, including:

Understanding personal budgeting and expense tracking
Basic banking concepts and services
The importance of credit scores and how to manage credit
Strategies for saving and investing
Resources for financial assistance and support

Our pilot class will be held on May 22, 2025, and we aim to run it quarterly. The class will be from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Ralph H. Metcalfe Building, 77 W. Jackson, Room 328, Chicago, Illinois, each participant will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the day.

Learners will consist of all persons referred by their respective probation officers under federal supervision.

Each class will have a maximum of 15 participants. Please solicit anyone on your caseload who would benefit and email Craig Boudy their name and telephone number by C.O.B April 25, 2025.

Thank you for your attention. We look forward to supporting our community in building a strong foundation for financial education!

I am happy to announce the Workforce Development Group has formed a partnership with Chase Bank to offer FREE financial literacy classes. Within the past few years, Chase has launched an initiative to help advance racial equity by supporting Black, Hispanic, Latino, and other underserved communities with their financial wellbeing. We had the pleasure of meeting with George Santos and Brandon Mells who are both Community Managers with Chase, who put on the financial classes throughout Chicago and surrounding areas. Between, George and Brandon, they have 31 years in the financial industry.

Below you will see dates, times, and locations on where each class will be held. Also, you will find flyers attached to the emails you can print and give to those you supervise. We ask that while meeting or speaking with people under supervision, you solicit their interest in attending these classes. Should you have an interested individual, please provide them with the locations that are closest to them and how to sign up (instructions for signing up are in the information below). Please send Craig Boudy, Jason Christiansen, or Raven McMillan the name of the person who is interested.

Below you will see dates, times, and locations on where each class will be held.

Cook

Cook County