ByDesign Financial Solutions Teams with the California Credit Union League to Promote Financial Literacy to Hundreds of California and Nevada-Based Credit Unions.

LOS ANGELES -- Non-profit organizations ByDesign Financial Solutions and the California Credit Union League (CCUL) recently entered into an agreement to work together to promote financial literacy to CCUL member credit unions throughout the states of California and Nevada.

"As financial education is key in both of our missions, ByDesign has worked with CCUL for many years, and we are thrilled to have entered into a more formal partnership to market our Personal Finance Management program," said Peter Lake, president and CEO of ByDesign Financial Solutions. "The course was developed by ByDesign educators in 2003 and has proved to be an affordable, yet comprehensive and engaging educational program. Now we have the potential to deliver the curriculum to millions of credit union members who can benefit from improved money management skills."

The Personal Finance Management program, available in both English and Spanish, consists of a book and corresponding five-hour workshop covering budgeting, credit, debt, credit reports and saving and investing.

"More than 1.78 million bankruptcies were filed in 2005, and according to the Federal Reserve, consumer debt stands at around $2.2 trillion -- nearly $7,400 for every man, woman, and child in the U.S. With those sobering statistics, credit unions believe financial literacy education is the key to help members achieve their financial dreams," said Sylvia Fath, vice president of business services. "One advantage of the League's partnership with ByDesign Financial Solutions is that representatives from both organizations will visit member credit unions to introduce them to the program so they may offer such educational materials and professional presentations to their members."

Founded more than 70 years ago, CCUL is the largest state trade association for credit unions in the United States. The League's core services of leadership, advocacy, education, and information help it fulfill its mission of providing services to members within a framework of innovation and cooperation so credit unions and their members will enjoy the security and ownership privileges of a vital financial cooperative unique within the financial services industry. The League serves 500 member credit unions in California and Nevada with 8.8 million members and more than $82 billion in assets.

ByDesign Financial Solutions is dedicated to helping individuals and families learn how to prevent and solve financial difficulties. As a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), and established more than 40 years ago, the organization offers personal finance education, confidential individual debt and housing counseling, and the implementation of debt reduction plans in offices located in the Los Angeles, Fresno, Sacramento and Stockton areas. A Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-approved counseling agency, the group also offers home pre-purchase counseling and education, bankruptcy education, identity theft resolution services, reverse mortgage counseling, as well as mortgage default and foreclosure prevention and intervention.

Call 800-750-2227 or visit www.bydesignsolutions.org to reach ByDesign.