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CCIU and Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union Offer Financial Workshop for CCIU’s E3 Program

Downingtown, PA – The Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) has partnered with Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union to offer a financial workshop series for Chester County Prison inmates enrolled in the CCIU’s E3 Re-entry Program (exit, enter, employ).  

The first workshop in the series, Understanding and Rebuilding Credit, will be held at the Chester County Prison on October 3, 2023, and will be facilitated by the experts from Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union. The workshop is designed to teach E3 students about good credit and the ins and outs of credit filing, reporting timelines, scoring models and establishing and rebuilding credit. 

Beth Manley, adult financial education manager at Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union, shared her enthusiasm about the partnership between the CCIU and Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union. “We are thrilled for the opportunity to support these participants, helping to equip them with essential financial skills and knowledge that will prove instrumental in their journey towards successful reintegration.” 

The future workshops in this series will teach an array of financial topics, including investing in stocks, bonds, mutual funds and annuities, risk aversion strategies, overcoming debt, the lending process, budgeting, fraud prevention and keeping money safe and accessible. 

E3 Re-entry Program Coordinator Jill Stoltzfus echoed Manley’s excitement. “This partnership between the CCIU and Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union will equip participants with knowledge and understanding about various topics involving debt, credit, investing and money management. It will help individuals gain more confidence to be able to build positive futures for themselves. Education is power, and by offering this Financial Foundational Workshop Series, we will build brighter futures for our community!” 

The E3 program offers pre-release classes at the Chester County Prison for those who will soon exit the justice system and post-release classes for those who have recently exited the justice system. Students enrolled in the program take manufacturing, thinking for a change and business readiness courses and are trained in the areas of job readiness, social skills, positive self-change and problem-solving. After completing the program, students can participate in a job fair, where they interview with potential employers who are searching for the exact skills and training these students have acquired.   

For more information about the E3 Re-entry Program for pre- and post-release individuals, please contact Jill Stoltzfus at JillS@cciu.org