Riverside, CA- December 14, 2010 – Springboard Nonprofit Consumer Credit Management is donating Christmas stockings to help make the holiday brighter for Inland Empire children and their families. As the national unemployment rate rose to 9.8 percent in November, the stockings are being delivered just in time to bring some holiday cheer to families already struggling to make ends meet. In October, unemployment reached 12.4 percent in California – the nation’s third highest. The jobless rate in the Inland Empire region reached an all-time high this summer of 15.1 percent.
“Springboard is donating the stockings to help Inland Empire families receive gifts they otherwise may not have received without the help of donations,” said Melinda Opperman, Springboard’s senior vice president of community outreach and industry relations.
Springboard is distributing the Christmas stockings to community organizations, schools and churches that identified children and families in great need. Springboard’s SERVICE members stuffed the super-sized stockings at the agency’s headquarters in Riverside. SERVICE stands for (S)pringboard (E)mployees (R)ecognize (V)olunteerism (I)n our (C)ommunity & (E)nvironment.
“We’re pleased to be able to assist children and families in need this Christmas,” said Opperman. “This is a difficult economic climate and many area families are not able to purchase gifts for children this year. Springboard feels humbled and fortunate to help families this holiday season,” said Opperman.
Springboard SERVICE members are delivering the stockings now through Christmas Eve to organizations, schools and churches in cities throughout Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The stockings are 3 feet long and 1foot wide, and include toiletries, holiday candy, snacks, books, small toy items for children and a gift card to a local grocery.
Springboard has been a beacon of hope to an area facing the worst economic crisis in 60 years. The agency assists individuals and families on a daily basis with credit counseling, housing counseling, debt and money management through educational programs and confidential counseling. Springboard has helped thousands of Inland Empire residents with free counseling in the areas of homeownership preservation and foreclosure prevention, credit and debt counseling, and pre-purchase home buyer education this year.
About Springboard Nonprofit Consumer Credit Management
SPRINGBOARD® Nonprofit Consumer Credit Management is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit personal financial education and counseling organization founded in 1974. Springboard is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency and a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, a national organization of nonprofit credit counseling agencies, and a member of the Association of Independent Credit Counseling Agencies. The agency offers personal financial education and assistance with credit counseling, housing counseling, debt and money management through educational programs and confidential counseling. Springboard is accredited by the Council on Accreditation, signifying the highest standards for agency governance, fiscal integrity, counselor certification and service delivery policies. The agency provides pre-bankruptcy counseling and debtor education as mandated by the bankruptcy reform law. The agency offers nationwide phone counseling services and has locations in California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas for in-person counseling sessions. Not all types of counseling are available in-person at all locations, please call for details. For more information on Springboard, call 800.449.9818 or visit their web site at www.credit.org.