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Where
We’ve Been and Where We’re Going
We
had some pretty lofty goals in mind when we were first creating
BALANCE: to develop a strategy that would increase awareness of
the existence of financial counseling, and to create a program that
would be viewed as positive so people would not be embarrassed,
ashamed and consequently, reluctant to seek help.
We
knew there was a need. After all, everyone has money issues –
whether it is bill problems, wanting to purchase a first home, plan
for retirement, wanting to learn how to save, or one of any number
of other financial challenges or concerns. Too many people were
slipping through the cracks without the advantage of a financial
education professional to guide, assist, and motivate.
CCCS
of San Francisco had become the respected leader in credit counseling,
but they couldn’t do it all. And CCCS offices around the nation
all had varying levels of service – some offered only face
to face counseling, processed debt management payments just once
a month, spoke only English, or it took weeks to get an appointment.
We – and everyone else – demanded consistency.
BALANCE,
a new business model, was created. By offering a financial fitness
program to employers it became an employee benefit; for employee
assistance programs it acted as an enhancement to the services offered
to employees of their employer-clients; and for credit unions it
became a benefit for their members and employees.
BALANCE
continues to evolve and develop. As businesses and individuals change,
so too do we. We offer consistently exceptional services and programs
that are integral to the success of all our clients and partners.
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A
BALANCE Timeline
1969
CCCS of San Francisco opened their doors to the public. Its primary
mission was to serve as a crisis center for people who had trouble
paying their bills.
1995
The need to reach people who were reluctant to use CCCS services
and to provide comprehensive financial education services was recognized.
BALANCE, as a department of CCCS of San Francisco, was created and
offered directly to employers as an employee benefit.
1996
Wells Fargo became the first BALANCE partner. The pilot program,
which was offered to 4,000 employees, was so successful they soon
provided the program to their entire workforce of 40,000.
1997
BALANCE's reputation as a premier financial fitness program strengthened.
San Mateo Credit Union, which had consistently used the services
of CCCS of San Francisco, was the first credit union to take advantage
of the comprehensive services offered through BALANCE.
By
seeking feedback from partners, the BALANCE program matured. The
scope of services were expanded to meet the goals and objectives
recommended by the pilot partners, and as a result, BALANCE became
able to assist an even greater number of individuals and families.
1999
BALANCE continued to grow and serve an increasing number of credit
union, EAP and employer partners.
To most efficiently meet the demand of the growing business, BALANCE
incorporated and became a wholly-owned subsidiary of CCCS of San
Francisco.
2001
BALANCE had 60 partners in 16 states and made comprehensive, objective
financial education and counseling available to over five million
people.
The
Callahan Limited Partnership endorsed BALANCE as a credit union
service provider.
2002
BALANCE had nearly 100 partners, located in about half the states.
BALANCE made financial tools and education consumers need to achieve
their financial goals available to 8 million people.
BALANCE
introduced a Train the Trainer program to provide partners a resource
for their training, marketing and business development staff to
learn to present financial education workshops.
BALANCE
clients using a Debt Management Plan became able to access their
account statements on-line.
To
better meet the needs of credit unions with existing financial counseling
programs, BALANCE developed a model with BECU to provide after-hours
and overflow counseling as well as credit report, debt management
and other services to support the internal counseling program.
All
printed and on-line educational materials were made available in
Spanish.
Mountain
America Credit Union in Utah became BALANCE's 100th partner in December.
Digital
Credit Union recognized BALANCE as a preferred partner by granting
the service their Business Partnership Excellence Award
2003
BALANCE introduced InBalance,
an education program geared toward returning unbanked consumers
to the financial mainstream. The program was made available for
licensing by credit unions nationwide.
Duke
University Credit Union and BALANCE worked together to train credit
union staff to provide face-to-face counseling in branches for walk-in
members.
Digital
Credit Union recognized BALANCE as a preferred partner by granting
the service their Business Partnership Excellence Award - 2nd year.
2004
Developed financial education program for teens.
Joined
Leadership Circle sponsors of the NCUF.
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