U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve Bank Kick Off Direct Deposit Week in Chicago

Mayor, City and State Treasurer, Local Banks and Organizations Supporting Events To Promote Direct Deposit Among Social Security Beneficiaries

December 2, 2004 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve Bank officially launch the Chicago Go Direct campaign with the commencement of Direct Deposit Week on Friday, December 3. This initiative is supported by Mayor Richard Daley, City Treasurer Judith Rice, Illinois State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, local banks, and various community organizations. The week of events, kicked off by a proclamation by Mayor Daley, is devoted to educating Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients about the benefits of direct deposit and helping them enroll to receive their money electronically. The week runs from Friday, December 3 to Saturday, December 11 and includes the following events:

Friday, December 3

• Casa Central will host a caregiver education seminar attended by 180 members of Casa Central's Homemaker Services Program. These caregivers will be responsible for helping seniors in the community enroll in direct deposit of their benefits.
• Archer Bank, Bank One, Community Bank of Lawndale, Devon Bank, LaSalle Bank, and Banco Popular will hold informational events to help people sign up for direct deposit from noon to 4 p.m. A number of additional banks will equip tellers with the information necessary to enroll people for direct deposit. The month's highest volume of Social Security check cashing occurs on December 3.

Saturday, December 4

• The Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and 1,000 Churches Connected will hold its "Celebrating Seniors" luncheon event (930 E. 50th St.) where Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. will speak about the benefits of direct deposit, among other issues affecting area seniors, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Monday, December 6

• Harold Washington Library (400 S. State St.) will hold informational sessions on direct deposit for seniors and other benefit recipients, and help them enroll in direct deposit, from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. In addition, the Woodson (9525 S. Halsted) and Sulzer (4455 N. Lincoln) regional banks will provide information and enrollment opportunities during the week.

Tuesday, December 7

• Harold Washington Library (400 S. State St.) will hold informational sessions on direct deposit for seniors and other benefit recipients, and help them enroll in direct deposit, from 9 a.m to 5 p.m.
• Franklin Drake CHA (440 N. Drake) will host an educational session at noon on the benefits of direct deposit and will help people enroll for direct deposit of their benefits.
• St. Patrick's Church (5900 W. Belmont) will host BinGo Direct, a recreational event where seniors can play bingo, while learning about the benefits of having their Social Security checks direct deposited. Enrollment opportunities will be made possible. The event runs from 5:30 p.m. -- 7:00 p.m.
• Little Village Community Development Corporation will host an educational session at Epiphany Church (4225 W. 25th St.) where community residents can learn about the value of direct deposit for their Social Security and SSI benefits, as well as enroll in direct deposit.

Wednesday, December 8

• Harold Washington Library (400 S. State St.) will hold informational sessions on direct deposit for seniors and other benefit recipients, and help them enroll in direct deposit, from 9 a.m to 5 p.m.
• Langley Apartments CHA (4930 S. Langley) will host a presentation on the importance of direct deposit for Social Security and SSI beneficiaries and help attendees enroll in the program.

Thursday, December 9

• Harold Washington Library (400 S. State St.) will hold informational sessions on direct deposit for seniors and other benefit recipients, and help them enroll in direct deposit, from 9 a.m to 5 p.m.
• The Polish Women's Alliance will host an entertaining session at the White Eagle Restaurant (6839 N. Milwaukee Ave., Niles) where Social Security and SSI beneficiaries can learn about and enroll in direct deposit from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Racine Apartments CHA (1611 S. Racine) will hold a presentation at noon on the value of direct deposit for Social Security and SSI benefits and help attendees enroll in the program.

Friday, December 10

• Harold Washington Library (400 S. State St.) will hold informational sessions on direct deposit for seniors and other benefit recipients, and help them enroll in direct deposit, from 9 a.m to 5 p.m.
• The Chinatown Chamber of Commerce and Pui Tak Center (2216 S. Wentworth Ave) will have speakers discuss direct deposit with seniors and other Social Security and SSI recipients and help them enroll to receive their benefits electronically from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Saturday, December 11

• Southside NAACP will hold an informational and enrollment session at the Progressive Baptist Church (3658 S. Wentworth) coupled with a gospel concert from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. featuring vocalist Cynthia Nunn.

225,910 Chicagoans -- nearly 23 percent of Social Security and SSI payments in Chicago -still receive their benefits by check. Converting all of Chicago's check payments to direct deposit could save taxpayers nearly $1.7 million annually. Additionally, those check recipients would be taking advantage of all the benefits of direct deposit, a safer, faster and easier way for them to receive their money.

Direct Deposit Week marks the official inauguration of the Go Direct campaign, which will feature a variety of programs and activities over the next four months. For more information on these events or the Go Direct campaign, or to arrange an interview with any of the organizations involved, call Glenn Eden at 312-988-2039 or Sean Mogle at 312-988-2046.

Go Direct has established websites in English and Spanish, www.GoDirect.org, and www.DirectoASuCuenta.org, and toll-free numbers to help people sign up for direct deposit: 1-800-333-1795 (English) and 1-800-333-1792 (Spanish).

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