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"Ready to continue your journey toward homeownership?

Join me for The Home Stretch Homebuyer Series through the Money Matters Institute. Whether you're just getting started in Part 1 or continuing your journey in Part 2, you'll gain access to HUD-certified education, one-on-one counseling, credit and budgeting guidance, mortgage readiness support, and information on down payment assistance programs.

My office is committed to bringing these resources to residents across every part of Chicago because homeownership remains one of the most powerful ways to build wealth and strengthen communities.

I encourage you to register today and take advantage of this free opportunity to move closer to achieving your homeownership goals."

Homeownership shouldn’t feel out of reach — and through the City Treasurer’s Office, it doesn’t have to be.

The Office of the City Treasurer is committed to expanding access to homeownership opportunities through year-round financial empowerment programming that helps Chicago residents build stronger financial futures and pathways to generational wealth.

Through the Money Matters Institute: Home Stretch Program, in partnership with Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, residents can access HUD-certified homebuyer education and personalized one-on-one counseling designed to make the path to homeownership more accessible, flexible, and achievable.

What You’ll Learn

This program is designed to help residents move from interest to action by providing the tools and knowledge needed to confidently navigate the homebuying process.

Participants will learn:

How to build a strong financial foundation through budgeting and credit education

What to expect during each stage of the homebuying process

How to navigate mortgage options and access down payment assistance programs

What it takes to successfully close on a home with confidence

Program Structure

Participants will complete:

Orientation to Homeownership

Budget and Credit Fundamentals

Shopping for a Home

The Closing Process

Residents who complete all required sessions will earn an official HUD-certified homebuyer education certificate.

Why This Matters

Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin understands that homeownership is one of the most powerful tools for building long-term financial stability and generational wealth. As a homeowner herself, she recognizes the importance of ensuring residents have access to trusted resources, education, and support throughout the process.

Too often, the path to homeownership can feel overwhelming or inaccessible. This program is designed to remove barriers and connect Chicagoans to the information, flexibility, and guidance needed to take the next step toward owning a home and investing in their future.

REGISTER HERE!

Start your journey to financial wellness today!

Access FREE financial education tools, resources and courses.SIGN UP

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Chicago Treasurer's Office | Melissa Conyears-Ervin - Chicago Treasurer | CTO | Chicago Illinois

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Money Matters Institute - Chicago Treasurer’s Office | Melissa Conyears-Ervin - Chicago Treasurer | CTO | Chicago Illinois

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Grab Your Seat! Next Money Matters Institute (MMI) Event January 29, 2026! We’re excited to welcome you to the first Money Matters Institute of 2026 — an evening dedicated to learning, connection, and financial empowerment. Managing your money wisely is the first step toward achieving your goals, whether it’s saving for a big purchase, planning for emergencies, […]

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Legler Regional Library is in the West Garfield Park neighborhood on Chicago's West Side.

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Douglass Branch is in the North Lawndale neighborhood on Chicago's South Side.

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Alderman Ervin: 28th Ward Chicago Services & Safety

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Find out more about Alderman 28th Ward Chicago and the efforts to ensure every voice in the community is heard and valued.

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As students across the city go back to school, former First Lady and Founder of The Obama Foundation's Girls Opportunity Alliance, Michelle Obama, announced an additional commitment of $500,000 to empower and uplift girls in and out of the classroom. The Girls Opportunity Alliance will support 11 Chicago-based girl-serving organizations this back-to-school season. The Alliance will also continue to provide organizational support to more than 60 girl-serving organizations across the City of Chicago through the Girls Opportunity Alliance Network. This holistic approach will benefit thousands of adolescent girls on the South and West Sides, particularly in the neighborhoods surrounding the future Obama Presidential Center.

In a released today, Mrs. Obama expressed her excitement for the growth of the Alliance's initiatives in Chicago. "As students head back to class, I'm proud to announce that the Girls Opportunity Alliance will be supporting some more incredible organizations in Chicago this school year," Mrs. Obama said. "From leadership development to career training to violence prevention, these organizations are helping girls gain the tools they need to succeed in school and in life."

The Girls Opportunity Alliance is dedicated to empowering and educating adolescent girls, helping them reach their full potential and create lasting change in their families, communities, and countries by connecting leaders, amplifying the impact of grassroots organizations, and raising public awareness. To date, the Girls Opportunity Alliance has supported more than 158 grassroots organizations across 43 countries, benefiting more than 120,000 girls.

With a vision set out by Mrs. Obama, in Chicago, the Girls Opportunity Alliance provides girl-serving organizations with support tailored to their specific needs, enabling them to enhance existing programs or develop new initiatives that address the unique challenges faced by girls across the city.

"​Meaningful change begins at the community level. That's why the Alliance's investment in these Chicago-based grassroots organizations is so vital," said Tiffany Drake, Vice President and Executive Director of the Girls Opportunity Alliance. "These organizations​ intimately understand the unique needs of the girls they serve, and by empowering them ​through opportunities and resources, we're building a ​brighter future."

The 11 Chicago-based girl-serving organizations are: Black Girls Jump, Distinctively Me, The Fig Factor Foundation, Girls Inc. of Chicago, Girls in the Game, Ladies of Virtue, The Medical Careers and Emergency Preparedness Initiative (MedCEEP), P.R.E.T.T.Y INC., SHE Chicago, Sisters in Cinema, and M.E.A.N. Girls Empowerment.

With the support of the Girls Opportunity Alliance, the 11 organizations will expand their programing and impact, for example:

MedCEEP addresses healthcare inequities on Chicago's South and West Sides by empowering youth with health emergency response skills and medical career exposure. Its in-school program provides a six session curriculum including hands-on emergency preparedness and career exploration. The Girls Opportunity Alliance Fund will support sustainable programming at Kenwood Academy, focusing on student leaders (primarily adolescent girls) who serve as peer mentors, providing them with exposure through medical career panels and medical simulations.

Sisters in Cinema empowers Black girls, women, and gender-expansive media creators through education, visibility, and community engagement. It offers a safe space for girls to develop valuable media skills and explore issues like mental health, peer relationships, and identity. The Girls Opportunity Alliance Fund will support up to 50 adolescent girls on Chicago's South Shore through "Pocket Cinema" (smartphone filmmaking) and "Podcasting for Beginners," both mentorship-driven and integrating social-emotional learning. Empowered to share their own stories and build self-assurance, the programs will culminate in a community showcase.

The leaders of these and other girl-serving organizations across Chicago, will join the Girls Opportunity Alliance Network, a community of more than 4,000 leaders around the world, which facilitates the exchange of ideas, information, and resources to enhance organizational capacity and sustainability. As Network members, these Chicago-leaders will benefit from capacity building workshops, Obama Foundation programming, and advice shared by the Obamas.

To learn more about the Girls Opportunity Alliance's work in Chicago and to support the efforts, visit: gofundme.org/girls-opportunity-alliance

About Post Author

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Michelle Obama's Girls Opportunity Alliance Provides $500,000 in Support to Chicago Girl-Serving Organizations Around Back-to-School

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As students across the city go back to school, former First Lady and Founder of The Obama Foundation's Girls Opportunity Alliance, Michelle Obama, announced an additional commitment of $500,000 to empower and uplift girls in and out of the classroom. The Girls Opportunity Alliance will support 11 Chicago-based girl-serving organizations this back-to-school season.

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All Opportunities - CBCF Leadership Institute - Online Applications

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In order to apply for these opportunities, please create an account or sign in at the top right corner.

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Explore Chicago Public Library. New titles, recently rated, and recently tagged by the library community.

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Food Pantry | Above and Beyond Free Food Pantry | Chicago

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Above and Beyond Food Pantry is located in West Garfield Park. 817 South Pulaski Avenue. Providing food and case management services to the local community.

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Breakthrough - East Garfield Park | Chicago, IL

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Breakthrough partners with those affected by poverty in East Garfield Park to build connections, develop skills, and open doors of opportunity

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Food Depository in Chicago | Greater Chicago Food Depository

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Hunger affects communities throughout Chicago and Cook County and we’re working to put an end to it. Get help or take action to support our efforts.

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At Mount Ridge Missionary Baptist Church, our purpose is clear: to win the lost to Jesus Christ at all cost. We are committed to evangelizing the sinner and exalting the Savior, focusing our efforts on reaching our families, friends, and communities across the Chicago metropolitan area and beyond. We believe in a holistic ministry meeting the spiritual, economic, and physical needs of God’s people. Through love in action, sound teaching, and community outreach, we seek to reflect Christ in all we do.

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Homepage of Jackson Blvd Church of Christ in Chicago IL. Lists the congregation’s history, ministries and calendar of events.

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WELCOME TO NEW LANDMARK NEW LANDMARK Missionary Baptist Church Thank you for visiting New Landmark! We welcome you to explore this site to learn more about Christ through God’s Word, […]

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Good Hope Freewill Baptist Church | Chicago IL

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Good Hope Freewill Baptist Church, Chicago. 944 likes · 1 talking about this · 1,788 were here. Baptist Church founded in 1970 on the Great Westside of Chicago. We are a Bible believing Church that…

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At The Resurrection Project, we believe that social change starts at the community level. When individuals feel safe and secure, they are more likely to invest in their community, making it a better place for all. We support this development by providing services that stabilize and protect families, by helping them acquire assets and improve their financial health, and by mobilizing them to advocate for long-lasting, positive change.

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At The Resurrection Project, we believe that social change starts at the community level. When individuals feel safe and secure, they are more likely to invest in their community, making it a better place for all.

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A TALE OF IMMIGRATION AND THE ROAD TO SUCCESS

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Medical Assistance Programs are designed to provide Illinois’ residents access to quality health care.

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Womens Health Clinic In East Garfield Park

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East Garfield Park's leading gynecological team, committed to providing all-encompassing women's health services. Book an Appointment Today for Womens Health Clinic in East Garfield Park

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Access denied | garfieldparkhospital.com used Cloudflare to restrict access | garfieldparkhospital.com | Cloudflare

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Senior Services Division for Grandparents Raising Older Relatives 

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Senior Services Division for Grandparents Raising Older Relatives 

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Are You Ready to Become a Homeowner - Check out Illinois HFA1

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Are You Ready to Become a Homeowner - Check out Illinois HFA1