Smart Saving Starts with Small Steps
As a kid, the end of summer meant a lot of canning.
Mom canned the extra tomatoes from our garden, and my grandmothers canned most anything they could. My great-grandmother had a room in her basement the size of a large walk-in closet, and the shelves were filled from floor to ceiling with canned fruits and vegetables.
This is just a small sample of the tomatoes that eventually made their way into Ball jars.
Over the summer, I met the CEO of Ball Corp., a Fortune 500 company. They made millions of glass jars and lids that Americans used to preserve fruits and vegetables but stopped about 30 years ago. People just don’t can like they used to. These days, Ball is instead a world leader in producing aluminum bottles and cans.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are now flown in year-round from around the world into our supermarkets. My grandmothers didn’t have that luxury. They didn’t have access to ample fruits and vegetables in the winter and early spring unless they canned and preserved them.
For them, the Great Depression loomed large, and they knew money could dry up at any time and that it was best to save and be prepared for a financial downturn.
I don’t know any families today that can and stock fruits and vegetables like my grandparents did. But parents know that there will likely come a time when their children will need extra resources. We know when our children are likely to graduate high school, and we know that access to a college education, vocational training, or learning some skill or trade will be very important and also unlikely to be free.
I think putting money in my children’s Bright Start savings accounts is a modern equivalent of what my grandparents did for their families, working now to prepare for cold winter months.
For us, canning was a large family effort. Our college savings plans can have large family involvement as well. Grandparents, aunts and uncles, and other family members can contribute to a child’s educational savings.
My office has worked very hard to support your family’s team effort. We have cut fees numerous times. We have improved investment options. We have worked hard to make sure that families know that Bright Start is available to them. You can start an account with any dollar amount.
My family has taught me a lot of valuable lessons and values. I try to apply them to how I run my office.
While values don’t change, technology and the times do. Today, we don’t necessarily need to spend a lot of time growing and canning vegetables, but we do need to work and save if we want to provide a better life and greater stability for our families. Just like I helped my mother in our kitchen, I stand ready to help you on your savings journey.
Sincerely,
Michael
Another Successful ICash Telethon!
Our recent ICash Telethon with WHBF-TV in the Quad Cities was a success! In just one night, we processed 894 claims for a total of $693,895. Also, I was delighted to present missing money to the Quad Cities Autism Center and Quad Cities Ballet Folklorico in the TV studio.
Check if You Have Missing Money
Students: Share Your Vision of Illinois Agriculture
Enjoy these amazing images from the first-place winners in the 2025 Cream of the Crop contest!
Fall is here, and winter is just around the corner. Regardless of the season, it’s always a good time for young photographers to explore the world of Illinois agriculture and take pictures for the Cream of the Crop Photography Contest.
Illinois students ages 8 to 18 can enter the annual competition. Learn more on our website.
Top winners in the three age categories will receive Bright Start 529 scholarships of up to $1,000.
So grab your camera, get outside, and show us how farming and food come to life during the colder months of the year!