FINANCIAL WELLNESS IS EMPOWERING PEOPLE ACROSS ILLINOIS

Kimberly Mercer-Schleider, Executive Director of the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities (ICDD) discusses why Financial Wellness is crucial in the intellectual and developmental disabilities community how this investment complements the other work of ICDD.

Meet Tyson – A Self Advocate Teaching Others about Financial Wellness

Tyson Bedford of Geneseo, Illinois is a self-advocate who not only attended a training, but became a financial wellness trainer himself. Hear his story and how far he’s come in his financial wellness journey.

MEET CAROLINE – A YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR MANAGING HER OWN MONEY

Caroline O’Hara is an outgoing young entrepreneur from Clarendon Hills, Illinois, who’s not afraid of anything – including making her own money. She took the financial wellness classes to learn skills for operating her micro-business and managing her own money, including how to spend it on things she really enjoys.

MEET WILLIAM, WHO WENT FROM NO CREDIT TO BUYING A CAR ON HIS OWN

William Bedford lives in Chicago, Illinois. When his mom told him about the Financial Wellness classes, and how he could start building his own credit, they worked together to do just that. Today he’s the proud owner of his own car. Purchasing a car is just the beginning of William’s Financial Wellness journey.

MEET KIMBERLY – FINANCIAL WELLNESS TRAINING IS MORE THAN PERSONAL FOR THIS PARENT ADVOCATE

Kimberly Johnson of Chicago is a parent of an adult with intellectual and developmental disabilities who’s also a passionate advocate, professional and now adds Financial Wellness trainer to her list of credentials. A near death experience made her realize she did not want her son to be reliant on others for his financial future. This story will resonate with family members and self-advocates in more ways than one.

MEET ANA CRUZ (in Spanish, with English subtitles)

Ana Cruz is a mother of two children who have autism. He participated in the NDI Financial Wellness training, with the goal of learning about financial well-being issues for his own family. She now teaches other members of her community and also participates as a volunteer in the Voluntary Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, where she provides support specifically to Spanish-speaking people.

Conoce a Ana

Ana Cruz es madre de dos hijos que tienen autismo. Participó en la formación Bienestar Financiero del NDI, con el objetivo de aprender sobre temas de bienestar financiero para su propia familia. Ahora enseña a otros miembros de su comunidad y también participa como voluntaria en el programa de Asistencia Voluntaria de Impuestos sobre la Renta (VITA), donde brinda apoyo específicamente a personas hispanohablantes.

Conoce a Agatha y Bárbara

Agatha Demarchi y Bárbara Martínez trabajan en entidades de servicios sociales y han incorporado el programa de formación en Bienestar Financiero del NDI a sus proyectos actuales. Ambas se enfocan en mejorar el futuro financiero de las familias a las que asisten, utilizando la información que aprendieron en la formación del NDI.

FINANCIAL WELLNESS IS EMPOWERING PEOPLE ACROSS ILLINOIS

Meet Tyson – A Self Advocate Teaching Others about Financial Wellness

Tyson Bedford of Geneseo, Illinois is a self-advocate who not only attended a training, but became a financial wellness trainer himself. Hear his story and how far he’s come in his financial wellness journey.

MEET CAROLINE – A YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR MANAGING HER OWN MONEY

Caroline O’Hara is an outgoing young entrepreneur from Clarendon Hills, Illinois, who’s not afraid of anything – including making her own money. She took the financial wellness classes to learn skills for operating her micro-business and managing her own money, including how to spend it on things she really enjoys.

MEET WILLIAM, WHO WENT FROM NO CREDIT TO BUYING A CAR ON HIS OWN

William Bedford lives in Chicago, Illinois. When his mom told him about the Financial Wellness classes, and how he could start building his own credit, they worked together to do just that. Today he’s the proud owner of his own car. Purchasing a car is just the beginning of William’s Financial Wellness journey.

MEET KIMBERLY – FINANCIAL WELLNESS TRAINING IS MORE THAN PERSONAL FOR THIS PARENT ADVOCATE

Kimberly Johnson of Chicago is a parent of an adult with intellectual and developmental disabilities who’s also a passionate advocate, professional and now adds Financial Wellness trainer to her list of credentials. A near death experience made her realize she did not want her son to be reliant on others for his financial future. This story will resonate with family members and self-advocates in more ways than one.