Mayor Thompson and Broadview resident Delonte Greer launch village financial-literacy webinar

Mayor Thompson hosted a Broadview webinar to introduce six online financial-literacy modules and free printed tools for residents, featuring local financial educator Delonte Greer.

The program, the mayor said, was developed in partnership with the SUCHI Foundation and the African American Mayors Association and is available under the Community tab on the village website. Residents who complete at least three modules can print certificates and pick up physical resources — including a “Mastering Money” book, a budget planner and a 100-envelope savings challenge — at village hall.

“This is to make sure that you are in a financial position for the future,” Mayor Thompson said, encouraging Broadview residents to complete the curriculum and use the printed planners to track spending.

Greer, who was introduced as a former Broadview resident and a nonprofit financial-education leader, described the program as a way to bring practical money skills back to working-class communities. “Nobody tells you about money and that's not by an accident,” he said, explaining that mindset and exposure often keep families from building savings and generational wealth.

Greer laid out several practical steps for listeners: build an emergency fund covering three to six months of expenses (longer for workers in volatile industries); prioritize paying high-interest debt; and establish repeatable budgeting habits. He recommended small, consistent investments and urged residents to take any employer 401(k) match available as “free money.”

Greer illustrated the cost of high interest with a 27% credit-card example: “If you take $10,000, multiply it by 0.27 — that's $2,700 every year,” he said, and reminded listeners that consumer debt interest is not tax-deductible.

The pair also discussed insurance and long-term-care risk. Greer said life and long-term-care policies can be tools for protection and legacy planning, but warned that communities have sometimes distrusted insurers after bad experiences. He gave a working figure for assisted-care costs in Illinois at about $60,000 a year and estimated an intensive five-year care window at roughly $300,000, noting that without insurance individuals can face a Medicaid “spend-down” to low asset levels before government benefits apply.

Mayor Thompson said the village secured a grant from the African American Mayors Association to fund the printed materials and tools distributed to residents. She encouraged follow-up programming on topics raised in the webinar, including deeper sessions on insurance and long-term-care planning.

“How do you get in touch with me? My name is Delonte Greer on most platforms,” Greer said, and gave a TikTok handle (Match Your Money) and said he would post his email in the webinar chat. Mayor Thompson also provided the village office phone number for residents seeking assistance.

The webinar closed with the mayor praising Greer’s local ties and saying her team will arrange future in-depth sessions so residents can explore topics such as insurance and retirement planning in more detail.