Outreach & Training

Consumer Action’s multilingual and multicultural community outreach managers work to empower individual consumers and community educators nationwide through free, unbiased, rights-focused consumer literacy information and training. The team works with a nationwide network of community-based organizations (CBOs). Many of these CBOs become our network Affiliate members and receive membership benefits that include multiple free publication orders per year and the opportunity to participate in special in-person events. Visit our Affiliate webpage to learn more about becoming a Consumer Action Affiliate member.

Our Events

• Keeping individuals, families housed amid an “eviction tsunami”
  Consumer Action's first webinar of the year couldn't have come at a better time: The Jan. 26 virtual event focused on the looming threat of an eviction crisis, which populations are most impacted by evictions, and how eviction moratoriums and financial assistance programs can help tenants remain housed.
• Navigating children’s and teens’ mental health, privacy in pandemic
  In response to nationwide school closures, ramped-up use of online schooling, and rising stress levels among families working and learning under one roof, Consumer Action invited four experts in children’s privacy and psychology to speak at its timely Nov. 17 webinar: “The Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents, and How to Protect Children’s Privacy Online.” A recording of the free webinar can be viewed here.
• Trapped in a pandemic: Domestic violence and financial abuse
  “What you may not know is that 65% of all murder-suicides are perpetrated by intimate partners, which is shocking and terrifying,” Gretchen Shaw, deputy director of the survivor-led National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), stated during Consumer Action’s “Domestic violence and financial abuse during COVID-19” webinar on Oct. 6, which was attended and watched by 689 viewers. Shaw was one of two speakers at the webinar, including attorney Maclen Stanley, who specializes in pursuing claims of sexual assault, sexual harassment and gender discrimination.

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Training Tools

• Using FinTech to manage money? You need to watch this
  Consumer Action recently announced that we will be distributing videos (in both English and Spanish) to low- and moderate-income (LMI) consumers on how to use financial technology (FinTech) to improve financial health. The helpful and timely videos are available for free viewing on Consumer Action’s website and YouTube channel.
• Resource Sheet: Serving Older Veterans: An Introduction to Veterans Benefits
  Senior Veterans may be eligible for a wide-variety of benefits available to all U.S. military Veterans. Veteran's benefits include disability compensation, pension, education and training, health care, home loans, insurance, vocational rehabilitation and employment, and burial.
• Coping with COVID-19: From housing, to health care, to rebooting your savings
  Earlier this year, when it became clear that the coronavirus pandemic would profoundly affect our lives, raising daunting challenges for consumers across the country, Consumer Action launched our COVID-19 Educational Project. Approximately six months into the year-long effort, we’ve just published our sixth fact sheet in the project’s “Coping with COVID-19” series.

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Our Network

• Testimonials (JPMorgan Chase Financial Inclusion Grant)
  Under a grant from JPMorgan Chase Consumer Action works to scale the integration of FinTech into financial inclusion programs at community-based organizations.
• Testimonial: Integrating FinTech into financial inclusion programs
  Consumer Action's community-based partners speak about how our programs help clients to improve financial health.
• Spread the word: Anyone can get free, virtual financial help from coaches, counselors
  AFCPE®, the Wells Fargo Foundation and Yellow Ribbon Network have launched a free, virtual financial counseling and coaching initiative—available to anyone who needs it (regardless of income level).

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Best Practices

• Don’t leave thousands on the table this season
  Consumer Action has just published an updated version of our Get Credit for Your Hard Work guide reflecting increases in income limits and credit amounts. The guide for the 2021 tax-filing season (i.e., 2020 tax returns due in April) is available to download now in English, Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese. A Korean translation will be available by mid-January.
• The enduring impact of racism on your finances
  In an era of “alternative facts” and the ongoing systemic persecution of Black Americans, Consumer Action felt it critical to dedicate our Fall 2020 Consumer Action News to the impact of race on personal finances. The latest free quarterly newsletter examines the areas of individual and household finances most affected by entrenched racism—from car and student loans to mortgages and auto insurance. In each area, Consumer Action explores leading proposals for dismantling these barriers to financial inclusion.
• CFPB Watch: Flagrant redlining, fake foreclosures, and stimulus funds
  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is suing non-bank mortgage lender Townstone Financial Inc. for redlining.

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Recommended Training Tools

• Living Life Online (FTC resource)
  The nation's consumer watchdog offers great guidance for staying safe and avoiding scams online.
• CTIA’s Your Wireless Service
  CTIA - The Wireless Association has many solid resources to add to your wireless education efforts.
• Avoid ID Theft Training Kit
  The Federal Trade Commission offers a training package on ID Theft.

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Videos & Webinars

• Albert host financial technology webinars
  Consumer Action and Albert co-hosted two webinars on March 29 to educate our community partners about the Albert Genius service.
• Webinars teach CBO partners how to help clients deal with debt collectors
  Consumer Action and the Consumer Relations Consortium (CRC) partnered webinars in June
• Consumer Action YouTube Channel
  The Consumer Action YouTube Channel features short educational videos and webinars.

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