Credit Union Pilot Project/Project Dollars and Sense

2003

The Credit Union Project of Project Dollars and Sense is an component of a State Partnership Initiative by cooperative agreement with the Social Security Administration. Focus groups conducted across the state of NH indicated in 1999 that people with disabilities who receive SSI or SSDI lack access to consumer credit, financial counseling, and financial services and have difficulty making incremental strides toward financial self sufficiency due to poverty and financial barriers associated with public benefit programs. The overall goals and objectives of the project is to link people with disabilities to participating credit unions for financial services, including credit; offer personal benefits planning and credit counseling services by group and on an individual basis; offer access to individual Development accounts for home ownership; college or business; and help participating individuals obtain their personal fianncial goals. On a systemic level, the goal of the project is to build capacity within credit unions, peer support agencies and credit counseling agencies to meet the needs of people with disabilities and offer relevant services. Expected benefits include access to and use of financial services; greater use of work incentives; integrated education/counseling in the area of financial education and benefits planning; advancement of individual financial self sufficiency; and information dissemination of best practice.

Credit Union/Individual Development Accounts/Financial education

Training Trainees, Performing Research or Evaluation, Developing & Disseminating Information

Health-Related Activities, Employment-Related Activities, Housing-Related Activities, Quality of Life, Other

Family Members/Caregivers

Limited English, Geographic Areas, Empowerment Zone, Renewal Community, Urban, Specific Groups, Other

Mulit-County

N/A