When Bridget Simone isn’t managing her Michigan Community Credit Union branch, she’s sometimes volunteering at a local prison to teach inmates vital skills they will need to support themselves when released.
The minimum-security Cooper Street Correctional Facility houses up to 814 men, many of them soon to be released. Two years ago the prison launched its Employment Readiness Program to prepare inmates for a successful re-entry into society by providing them information on finances, computer skills, resume writing and effective ways to find jobs.
“To make the class more beneficial to the students, I needed to bring in someone who is very knowledgeable in the field of savings and understanding credit scores,” said Corby DeForest, program facilitator for the prison.
Simone volunteered.
Michigan Community ($164.9 million in assets, 18,625 members) serves 16 counties in southern Michigan, and is based in Jackson, where the prison is also located.
Credit union officials said they agreed to partner with the prison because they consider financial literacy important, and they want to see their members and community succeed financially.
Simone, who has a degree in criminology and criminal justice, visits the facility about three times a year, and has noticed a gradual increase in attendance from about 20 inmates when she started the class to about 50 people now.
Simone focuses on credit repair, but also shares best practices for handling credit cards, debit cards and existing loans.
“The inmates ask great questions,” Simone said. “They are mostly concerned on how their credit is affected and what they need to do to rebuild their score.”
“After my presentation, I want them to feel more confident in making financial decisions for themselves upon their release,” she said.
The Michigan Works! Association said the program’s attendees have been better prepared than most job seekers to apply for jobs online and create resumes.
Warden Joseph Barret recently awarded Simone with a symbol of Customer Service, a token recognizing individuals who go above and beyond normal expectations in the spirit of reinvention.
