Darnecia Braboy

Darlene Braboy is the parent of Darnecia Braboy, a sixth-grade honor student at Mayo Elementary School on the south side of Chicago.  Losing her father at the age of four, Mrs. Braboy grew up in a single-parent household in public housing in the Oakland-Bronzeville area of Chicago.  “My mother did a tremendous job in raising seven children,” she writes.  “Although we lived as a low-income family, we didn’t seem poor.  I observed and remember my mother budgeting and saving to not only get the things that were needed, but also some of the things we wanted.” 

Since 1990, Mrs. Braboy has held various positions within the Chicago Public School system, from school assistant to clerk.  In 2003 she joined the SEED program and opened an account for her daughter, Darnecia.  She writes: “Through the program, I have learned to save for college education, budget, improve my credit, work with my daughter on the information she is learning in SEED class and think wisely.”  In May 2006, she participated in a policy briefing sponsored by the Shriver Center and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.  She spoke about how participation in the SEED program helped her focus on future goals for herself and her children and save more regularly.  She, her husband, and their two children currently live in public housing, but plan to own their own home someday.

In March 2008, Darnecia was chosen as an exemplary student to attend a Young Leaders Conference in Washington, DC. She is the highest saver of the Shriver SEED program; with the help of her mother and a commitment to save for her future, Darnecia has saved $3,597 in her SEED account. Someday, Darnecia hopes to own her own beauty salon, which she will call “Necia’s Salon.”

Nicole and Nachelle Bingham

Sandra Bingham, 37, is a single parent and has twin girls who participate in SEED. Nicole and Nachelle are thirteen years old and attend Mayo Elementary School in Chicago. At first, Ms. Bingham couldn't make monetary contributions into her children's SEED accounts. However, while attending college and accruing related expenses, Ms. Bingham realized that "saving for my children's college education early will help me in the long run with their college expenses."

Since SEED's second program year, Ms. Bingham has consistently deposited the required amount of $30 per quarter for both of her children. Her sacrifices to make the deposits are the results of "...cutting back on spending and sticking to a budget." In the beginning, Ms. Bingham felt she had "too many irons in the fire to save" but since she has been saving consistently she says, "saving is no longer a burden."

Nachelle enjoys school, SEED, and creating new hairstyles.  She has recently become an entrepreneur after taking a class through the SEED program, and now operates her own babysitting service.   She babysits after school, and has learned to save and spend some of her babysitting dollars. Nachelle has saved $2,418.06 with her SEED account.

Nicole attended a college tour in June 2007 at Southern Illinois University (SIU).  Her experience with SEED allowed her to make certain connections between the physical aspects of a college campus and the savings commitment it will take for her to attend. As a result of the  family’s savings and  the SEED funds matched through the Shriver Center, Nicole has a total of $2,441.38 that will continue to grow until she attends college.