Local individuals and families who are on a quest for financial literacy and security are invited to participate in a free program being offered by Community Credit Counseling Specialists, Inc. in Toledo.

The program is being funded through a grant from Chase Card Services, the credit card division of JPMorgan Chase & Co. The grant was made possible through Chase’s Financial Literacy Grant Program, which, since its inception five years ago, has made more than $5 million available to select community organizations, including credit counseling agencies and consumer finance research groups throughout the United States.

The Quest for Financial Literacy program is designed to educate all family members from 4 years old to adults about finances, according to Dona Graves, Director of Education at Community Credit Counseling Specialists.  

The program includes a class, free credit reports with FICO score, all materials, one-on-one access to a personal counselor, creation of a full financial overview to assist with setting up the family budget, information on how to get out of debt and stay out of debt, and discussions about savings plans and other financial issues.

All services are offered free of charge.

The program begins with a class for adults, held telephonically, Graves said, meaning that participants join in via a conference call set-up. “When they register, we forward materials, and I will go over the first four or five chapters in the class,” she said. Then participants can discuss finances one-on-one with Graves, either by phone or in person.

Parents are then encouraged to work with their children, using materials furnished by the program to open the doors of communication about money, credit issues and the first budget. Programs are broken down by age group, including groups for children ages 4-9, pre-teens ages 10-14, high school and college students ages 15-21 and adults over 21. Bi-annual evaluations and follow up will also be a part of the program.

The program is the first of its kind in the area to focus on the children as well as the adults, Graves noted. “We are very excited about teaching children at an early age.

“This will be very beneficial to all families, whether a family of one or a family with children,” Graves said. “We also encourage college students to participate.”

There are openings for 175 families in the Quest for Financial Literacy program. The next session of classes begin Aug. 9. Classes will be held monthly until all 175 spaces have been filled. The program is open to residents of Ohio, Michigan and Florida.

Community Credit Counseling Specialists, Inc. has been providing education, debt management assistance and free financial counseling in the community since 1982. Their main office is located at 5301 Southwyck Blvd., Suite 100, Toledo.

Call 419-865-2333 or toll-free at 888-662-3313, or visit www.creditcounsel.org to register or obtain more information.

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