Western Massachusetts Financial Literacy Organizations Collaborate to Help Community

Agawam, MA (PRWEB) August 29, 2008 -- Over the last two years, America has witnessed the devastating consequences of our society's lack of financial literacy, and from all accounts, things aren't getting better anytime soon. Roughly 20,000 homes are now foreclosed on every month, and credit card debt is quickly approaching one trillion dollars. Perhaps more than at any time since the Great Depression, it is vital for American consumers, young adults in particular, to be prepared for the financial challenges of the current economy. Unfortunately, few schools offer courses designed to educate students about the fundamentals of financial management. Instead, the task of creating a financially literate society has fallen to social service organizations, counseling agencies, charities and volunteers looking to help future generations avoid financial disaster.

Cambridge Credit Counseling (www.cambridgecredit.org) is one agency that is doing its best to remedy the situation. Rather than go it alone, the organization has partnered with the local chapter of Junior Achievement, which brings business education to more than 90 western Massachusetts schools in 30 separate school districts. "I have dedicated more than 15 years of my life to educating individuals and families on the importance of successful money management," notes Christopher Viale, Cambridge's president and CEO. "Unfortunately, society has failed to prepare many who turn to our company for help and generations are being affected by the lack of financial savvy. For that reason, we welcome the opportunity of working with JA to help educate young adults about the principles of money management so they can make better financial decisions. We're fortunate to be working closely with JA. They are a passionate and dedicated group."

Jennifer Connolly, president of Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts (www.jawm.org), is also pleased to have combined efforts. "JA is proud to be working with Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp. to provide Western Massachusetts students with knowledge they can use to make informed choices about real-world issues. In today's global economy, young people have to be financially literate if they want to succeed."

"By combining their expertise, organizations like Cambridge and JA can do much more to serve the community, and that creates a win-win scenario for the public," concluded Viale. Ms. Connolly agreed, observing that, "In our challenging economy it is vital for non-profit organizations to work together for the benefit of the community. JA and Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp. are dedicated to making our community stronger, financially sound, and prosperous."

ABOUT JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS

For nearly 90 years, Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts and its volunteers have been preparing students to succeed in a changing economy. JA's K-12 curriculum is focused on seven key content areas: business, economics, citizenship, ethics/character, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and career exploration. To learn more about JA, visit www.jawm.org or call 413-747-7670.

ABOUT CAMBRIDGE CREDIT COUNSELING CORP.

Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp. is a professional credit counseling agency, dedicated to educating young adults on the importance of sound financial management and to providing financially distressed Americans with education and debt management services appropriate to their needs. For more information on this article or to schedule an interview, please call 413-821-6919.

Visit Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp. online at www.cambridgecredit.org. To learn more about Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp. and the community, please visit www.youtube.com/CambridgeCredit. For more helpful information, check out the Cambridge's financial literacy blog at www.cambridgecredit.blogspot.com.

Contact:

Thomas Fox

Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp.

413.821.6919

tfox @ cambridgecredit.org

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