Brief CCCS of Forsyth County Organization Summary

CCCS of Forsyth County Inc. (CCCS-FC) was established locally in 1972 as a 501(c) 3 non-profit, tax-exempt organization to address the high rate of personal bankruptcy filings in our community, and the problems families experience when dealing with financial difficulties. Organizational structure and characteristics include:

• Community-based client focused credit counseling agency serving a geographic area of approximately 396,000 local residents (36% African-American; 16% Hispanic)
• Governed by a local Board of Directors that is representative of the community residents it serves; Staff of 27 full & part-time employees (15% bi-lingual; 33% African-American)
• Accredited by the Council on Accreditation; HUD Certified as a Comprehensive Housing Counseling Agency since 1980
• Member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC)
• Member of, and partially funded by, Forsyth, Davie & Yadkin County United Ways
• Depending upon the agency program and population served, counselors are certified as credit counselors by NFCC; certified as housing counselors by The Association of Housing Counselors; certified in Reverse Mortgage Counseling by the NC Housing Finance Agency; and trained in Solution Focused Credit Counseling by retired Professor Fred Waddell

CCCS-FC addresses the issue of personal finance as it relates to individual, family and community well being, including the critical components of self-sufficiency and homeownership through the following programs:

• Financial Literacy Education is focused on low-income, minorities; displaced workers; DMP clients; various public school populations
• Financial Management & Debt Counseling primarily serves low-to-moderate income clients that reflect community demographics)
• Senior Financial Care® that provides in-home bill paying, budget & credit counseling for seniors
• Center for Homeownership is a community collaborative service provider that includes an IDA program, and involves United Way, City & County housing representatives; Lenders; Builders; Realtors; and non-profit service providers
• Consumer Choice Credit Report Review Program, which takes the place of the now-closed local credit bureau
• Debt Management Program (8% of credit counseling clients use this service; 545 active DMP clients at December 31, 2005);