ACORN
www.acorn.org
ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, is the nation's largest community organization of low- and moderate- income families, working together for social justice and strong communities. Their website provides opportunities to take action, volunteer, or join local campaigns.
Americans for Fairness in Lending
www.affil.org
AFFIL is an umbrella group of consumer, civil rights, and other organizations working together to promote commonsense reforms of the lending industry. On its website, you can take action by writing your congressperson, sign up for regular alerts about important legislation, find information about common tricks of the lending industry, and link to resources for help managing your debt.
Center for Responsible Lending
www.responsiblelending.org
The Center for Responsible Lending is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research and policy organization dedicated to protecting homeownership and family wealth by working to eliminate abusive financial practices. CRL is affiliated with Self-Help, one of the nation's largest community development financial institutions. Its website offers a range of research reports, policy briefs, and fact sheets on everything from payday loans to sub-prime mortgages.
Consumer Action
www.consumer-action.org
Consumer Action is a national nonprofit education and advocacy organization offering many free services to consumers. Visit its website to download its annual credit card survey, which details common credit card industry practices, and to search the Consumer Services Guide for help with questions and problems on a range of consumer issues.
Consumer Federation of America
www.consumerfed.org
CFA is an advocacy, research, education and service organization comprised of more than three hundred nonprofit organizations located throughout the nation with a combined membership exceeding 50 million people. Its website provides information about its work on a range of consumer issues, including recent press releases, policy publications, and links to other consumer resources.
Consumers Union
www.consumersunion.org
Consumers Union (CU) is an expert, independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just and safe marketplace for all consumers. CU publishes Consumer Reports. Visit its website to get more information on pending legislation to address lending abuses and to take action on a range of lending reforms.
Demos: A Network for Ideas & Action
www.demos.org
Demos is a nonpartisan public policy research and advocacy organization committed to building an America that achieves its highest democratic ideals. Visit the website for information on a range of economic issues, including research reports, fact sheets and policy briefs on a range of debt-related issues.
National Consumer Law Center
www.nclc.org
The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) is the nation's consumer law expert, helping consumers, their advocates, and public policy makers use powerful and complex consumer laws on behalf of low-income and vulnerable Americans seeking economic justice. Its website features information about their legal campaigns and offers a range of legal resources for consumer lawyers.
U.S. PIRG
www.uspirg.org
U.S. Public Interest Research Group serves as the national association and federal lobbying office for state PIRGS, which are nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organizations that take on powerful interests on behalf of their one million members nationwide. Recent PIRG financial advocacy campaigns have focused on exposing unfair credit card practices, stopping predatory rent-to-own and payday lenders, solving student loan debt problems, fighting identity theft, and improving accuracy of credit reports and credit scores.
Woodstock Institute
www.woodstockinst.org
The Woodstock Institute is a leader in mortgage and consumer lending research, documenting industry trends that affect the ability of working households to achieve homeownership and build assets. Visit the website for research publications on debt-related topics.
Campus Progress
www.campusprogress.org
Campus Progress, part of the Center for American Progress, works to help young people-advocates, activists, journalists, artists, and others-make their voices heard on a range of issues, including student debt. Visit the website to learn more about, and join, their Debt Hits Hard campaign, aimed at addressing rising student loan debt.
Project on Student Debt
www.projectonstudentdebt.org
The Project on Student Debt works to increase public understanding of student loan debt trends and implications for families, the economy, and society. Recognizing that loans play a critical role in making college possible, the Project's goal is to identify cost-effective solutions that expand educational opportunity, protect family financial security, and advance economic competitiveness. Visit the website to join its campaign, share you story, and get more financial information about pending legislation.
State PIRGs Higher Education Project
www.pirg.org/highered
Visit the website to join this U.S. PIRG campaign to lower student debt, reduce the costs of textbooks, and reduce subsidies to student loan companies.
Bankrate, Inc.
www.bankrate.com
This site offers an array of information about financial products from credit cards to mortages. Bankrate also features monthly articles addressing some of the most common personal finance issues.
Finaid.org
www.finaid.org
This site offers comprehensive information and tools to help compare and select student loans.
To Find a Credit Counselor
National Foundation for Credit Counseling
www.nfcc.org
The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) consists of more than a hundred member agencies and more than nine hundred local offices throughout the country. The NFCC can help you find an accredited credit counseling agency in your area. The website also provides a range of general budgeting and debt advice.
To Find a Lawyer
National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA)
www.naca.net/find-consumer-protection-attorneys
The National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA) is a nation-wide organization of more than a thousand attorneys who represent and have represented hundreds of thousands of consumers victimized by fraudulent, abusive, and predatory business practices.
To Find a Housing Counselor
Department of Housing and Urban Development
www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm
The Department of Housing and Urban Development sponsors housing counseling agencies throughout the country that can provide advice on buying a home, renting, defaults, foreclosures, credit issues, and reverse mortgages.
