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Thanksgiving with Springboard

Inspired by Springboard Chief Financial Officer Marlisa Hodgin (center), Springboard commenced with its second annual Thanksgiving basket donation program. Hodgin is pictured with Springboard SERVICE Volunteers Corrie Williams (left), and Melinda Opperman (right) who volunteered with dozens of Springboarders to assemble the baskets at the agency's headquarters in Riverside. SERVICE stands for Springboard Employees Recognize Volunteerism In our Community & Environment.

Springboard SERVICE members delivered baskets to organizations and schools in 17 cities throughout the Inland Empire. Following is a partial list of organizations:

Irene Durazo (left) and staff of San Bernardino County Preschool Service (Rancho Cucamonga, CA)


Theo Crawford (center) and staff members of Path of Life Shelter (Riverside, CA)


Springboard on KCSB-TV
Springboard's Education Coordinator Carlos Vargas recently taped broadcast segments for television focused on consumer savings tips during the holidays.  These educational segments, taped in both English and Spanish, are anticipated to air in the first week in December.

(Pictured: KCSB-TV Host Diva Rescia and Springboard's Carlos Vargas.)

(Diva Rescia and Carlos Vargas discuss holiday spending tips and strategies for surviving the holidays. [.pdf link])

National Protect Your Identity Week – Oct. 17-24

Springboard brought heightened awareness to the problem of identity theft during National Protect Your Identity Week – Oct. 17- 24.  Springboard presented workshops throughout the community on identity theft awareness, prevention, and preparedness tips.  On Wednesday, October 21, Springboard held an Identity Theft Awareness & Resource Fair at its SHINE Center from 10 AM to 2 PM, which was open to the public and featured lively presentations given by the Corona Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service, Riverside Division.  The City of Riverside presented Springboard with a signed proclamation, recognizing Oct. 17-14 as National Protect Your Identity Week. Free, onsite document shredding was provided to the community.  Local area residents dropped off 30 boxes or roughly 900 pounds of material for shredding in a safe and controlled environment.     

During the week, Springboard also brought valuable education and materials to the community during a week of presentations to local employers, schools and senior centers through its MOVE (Mobile Outreach Valuable Education) Financial Workshop initiative.  Eleven MOVE workshops on the topic of Protecting Your Identity were scheduled throughout Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

Springboard also utilized social networking and distance learning to educate consumers by posting daily identity theft prevention “tweets” on Twitter, and provided Springboard’s Identity Theft workbook for download.  Hundreds of ID Theft Prevention Tip cards with branded envelope openers were distributed.  

Springboard’s workbook, ID Theft: Protecting and Restoring Your Good Name is available for free download.  Please visit the “Resources” section of our website to download our educational materials.  

Springboard held an Identity Theft Awareness & Resource Fair at its SHINE Center in Riverside, CA

Members of Team Springboard presented Southland Shredding with a Certificate of Appreciation

Local area residents dropped off 900 pounds of material for shredding in a safe and controlled environment

Springboard president and CEO Todd Emerson (left) presented Officer John Alvarez of the Corona Police Department with a Certificate of Appreciation.

2009 National Protect Your Identity Week
October 17th through the 24th is National Protect Your Identity Week.

Photo: McGruff the Crime Dog, pictured with Springboard's Melinda Opperman, made an appearance to signal that 2009 National Protect Your Identity Week begins October 17th through October 24th.

Housing Opportunities HOME Clinic, Indio, CA Springboard was among the participating agencies supporting a HOME Clinic sponsored by the Housing Opportunities Collaborative of the Inland Empire (HOC-IE) in collaboration with Assemblyman V. Manuel Pérez. Springboard counselors provided resources and one-on-one assistance to distressed homeowners. The HOME Clinic was held at the Indio Teen Center and pooled housing counseling agencies, fair housing agencies, and other public agencies into one location, giving homeowners a one-stop shop of counseling resources.  

Photo: Foreclosure Prevention Counselor Maricela Lopez with 80th District Assemblyman V. Manuel Pérez.


Photo: (l to r) Members of Team Springboard: Foreclosure Prevention Counselors Alba Gutierrez and Maricela Lopez, Indio City Mayor Melanie Fesmire, and Foreclosure Prevention Counselor Veronica Ronquillo.

Military Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program
U.S. Air Force, March Air Reserve Base California, held their first Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program event in August 2009. The two-day program, designed to help service members and their families cope with a variety of deployment issues, was held in San Diego. 120 service members and their families heard from subject matter experts on various topics which included how to protect your identity, how to obtain a job in this tight economy, marriage and family resources, wills and powers of attorney, the Homeowner's Assistance Program and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. Springboard was the financial education presenter for this important program for our military community.

Photo: (l to r) Melinda Opperman of Springboard and United States Air Force TSgt. R. Turner at the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program.

Foreclosure Prevention Community Workshop, Riverside, CA
Springboard was among the participating agencies with The Fair Housing Council of Riverside County, Inc., U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development and others in an event brought to the community by U.S. Congressman Ken Calvert, City of Riverside Mayor Ron Loveridge, Riverside County Assessor Larry Ward, and Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco. Springboard assisted with providing valuable information and help to distressed homeowners, who attended the workshop held at St. Catherine of Alexandria Church in Riverside. Springboard was among the subject matter experts participating in a Q & A panel discussion and provided helpful information on consumer credit issues. Springboard also provided face-to-face counseling and resources to help homeowners avoid housing and credit scams.

Photo: (l to r) Members of Team Springboard: Sheri L. Stuart, Education Manager; Veronica Ronquilo, Cynthia Respicio, Luis Arias, & Manuel Arteaga, Foreclosure Counselors; Lori Lamb, Credit Education Supervisor; and Victor Martinez, Foreclosure Prevention Counselor.

Mayor takes on Action Challenge for Children and Families – Kicks Off with Free Financial Workshops
What is more important than the well-being of children and families? Riverside, CA Mayor Ron Loveridge answered this question by taking on the National League of Cities' (NLC) Action Challenge for Children and Families.

As a kickoff to this Challenge, in recognition of the worst economic crisis of our time, Mayor Loveridge and the City of Riverside partnered with the United Way of the Inland Valleys to host a Summer Series of free financial workshops presented by Springboard Nonprofit Consumer Credit Management and Community Action Partnership Riverside, entitled Money Works, at various Park, Recreation, and Community Services centers in Riverside. All classes were FREE to the public.

A variety of workshops were held in community centers throughout Riverside. Topics covered included Understanding Credit Reports and Scores, Wise Use of Credit, and Identity Theft Awareness & Prevention.

Photo: Riverside Mayor Ron Loveridge at the opening of Springboard's SHINE center in 2008. (Right: Justin Waller, Sr. Vice President of Operations.)
Celebrating Hope, Jobs and Futures, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Springboard was among the valued community partners invited by Goodwill Southern California to their June 2009 celebration honoring outstanding achievers, graduates, and valued partners who helped Goodwill transform lives through the power of work. Goodwill's mission is to enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities. Springboard has partnered with Goodwill in support of its job opportunity fairs by providing information, materials and resources on personal budgeting and money management.

Photo: (l to r) Springboard Education Coordinator Carlos Vargas; Goodwill President & CEO Douglas H. Barr, MSW; Board Member Mark L. Walberg; and Springboard Education Coordinator Terry Cardwell.


Rancho Cucamonga Resource Fair
The 2nd Annual Rancho Cucamonga Resource Fair was held recently at the Rancho Cucamonga Family Resource Center. Springboard was proud to be there as part of a large collection of community service providers. The fair helped individuals and families learn about the programs and services available to help community members at little or no cost. More than 30 nonprofit organizations joined Springboard in welcoming the people of Rancho Cucamonga to the event, which included food, music, prizes, and activities for children.

Photo: June 2009 at the Rancho Cucamonga Resource Center: Rancho Cucamonga Mayor Dr. Donald J. Kurth shakes hands with Springboard Education Coordinator Michelle Mealey (center). At left: City Councilman Sam Spagnolo.


Community Workshop Las Vegas, NV
Springboard was among the HUD-approved housing counseling agencies in a community workshop sponsored by a local branch of the NAACP and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The workshop featured HUD-certified housing counseling agencies (including Springboard), community stakeholders and lenders to discuss preserving homeownership foreclosure prevention counseling, first-time homebuyer programs, and free loan modification programs to help residents. The community workshop was held June 1, 2009 at the West Las Vegas Library Theatre. Springboard's Foreclosure Prevention Assistant Counseling Manager, John Maurer, was a panelist providing important information to more than 100 audience members, many who were distressed homeowners.

Photo: (l to r) Members of Team Springboard, Carlos Gonzalez and Darryl Brown, provide important resources, materials, and information to Las Vegas residents.


Career Day at Bloomington Middle School
Springboard was well-represented at the Bloomington Middle School Career Day in Bloomington, CA. The students were able to ask questions of financial education experts Terry Cardwell and Carlos Vargas. By speaking to students about their careers in financial education, they were able to make an early impact in the development of many young students. These future leaders were able to see the value of working in a nonprofit field and understand that providing financial literacy is a worthwhile and necessary endeavor.

Photo: (L to R) Terry Cardwell, Springboard Education Coordinator; Stephanie Granados, Bloomington Middle School Counselor, Nu Kimbwala, Bloomington Middle School Principal; and Carlos Vargas, Springboard Education Coordinator.


HOC Wins Outstanding Service Award
The Housing Opportunities Collaborative (HOC) recently received a special award: Outstanding Service by a Distinguished Organization. This award, granted by the San Diego County Bar Association, reads: "Outstanding Service by a Group or Association Not Composed Primarily of Lawyers or Judges, the Contribution of Which Over a Period of Time Have Had  Significant Impact on Some Facet of the Legal System." This award was presented to HOC at the Annual Awards Luncheon on April 20, 2009. Springboard has served as a key partner and participates in all HOC HOME (Home Owner Mobile Education) CLINICS and we received a personal invitation as special guests to attend this award luncheon. We congratulate all of our partners in the HOC and look forward to providing more great education and counseling to home owners with the help of the HOC.



Foreclosure Prevention in Moreno Valley
Springboard was among the participants in a Foreclosure Prevention Workshop hosted by the City of Moreno Valley, CA, U.S. Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack and Fair Housing Council Riverside. In an effort to help Moreno Valley residents reduce their risk of home foreclosure, the City is sponsoring a series of foreclosure prevention events that began with the half-day Foreclosure Prevention Kick-off on Saturday, February 28, 2009 at the Moreno Valley Conference and Recreation Center. For dates and locations of upcoming City of Moreno Valley workshops visit www.moval.org.

Keyneica Jones, Management Analyst, City of Moreno Valley Economic Development Department, Neighborhood Preservation Division (center, orange shirt) with Team Springboard (l to r) Andrea Macedo, Cecilia Garcia, Derrese Chambliss, Alba Gutierrez, Keyneica, Melinda Opperman, and Maricela Lopez. (Not pictured: Michelle Mealey and Lori Lamb.)


America Saves Week
The third annual America Saves Week (www.americasaves.org) took place from February 22 - March 1, 2009. Springboard, a National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) Member Agency, supports the national campaign, along with the two affiliate campaigns, Military Saves and San Diego Saves.  The program goals are promoting the awareness of the need to reduce debt and save money thereby ensuring personal financial readiness and positively impacting the nation's personal/household savings rates.




2009 Photo:  A Combined Navy and Marine Corps event was planned through Base Consortiums in the San Diego Region, California.  The kick-off for Military Saves Week 2009 was a "Home Clinic" - a community service coalition of city, county, state government, and non-profit agencies in the San Diego region, in collaboration with the Legal Aid Society of San Diego's pro-bono program.  Colonel Christopher E. O’Connor, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Base Commanding Officer (back row, right) with (l to r) Vino Pajanor, HOC Executive Director; Personal Financial Management (PFM) Specialist Craig Hughes who serves MCAS Miramar; Gregorio Estrella, HOC Program Manager; Victoria Johnson, HOC; PFM Supervisor, Pamela Beard, who works at FFSC Naval Base Coronado; Yamila Ayad, HOC; Myrna Pascual, HUD San Diego Field Office; Colonel O’Connor; and Melinda Opperman, Springboard.


2008 Photo:  Major Jim Wood, City of Oceanside, issued a proclamation supporting America Saves Week 2008 and the two affiliate campaigns, Military Saves and San Diego Saves.  Dr. Patti Wooten-Swanson (right), University of California Cooperate Extension, holding the proclamation with (l to r);  Personal Financial Management Specialist Beth Middleton who serves Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton; Jennifer Topzand, Pacific Marine Credit Union; Major Alan Crouch, USMC Public Affairs Officer, Marine Corps Installation - West; Mayor Wood; Dr. Wooten-Swanson; Melinda Opperman, Springboard. 

Surviving the Holidays
During this holiday shopping season, Springboard continues its important work of promoting and providing financial education and help in the community. "Surviving the Holidays", an education seminar presented by Springboard, teaches consumers to prepare for costs associated with the holidays, manage holiday spending and face the New Year without holiday debt.

Carlos Vargas, with Springboard's Education and Community Outreach team, presents "Surviving the Holidays" at Azusa Pacific University.


Springboard Honored by HOC
Springboard is the recipient of a Certificate of Appreciation from the Housing Opportunities Collaborative. The award was presented recently in honor and recognition of Springboard's work at more than two dozen HOME (Home Owner Mobile Education) Clinics given to distressed homeowners in San Diego County and Imperial County. The Certificate of Appreciation states, "In recognition for your tireless dedication and outstanding support of HOME CLINICS in 2007-2008. You contributed tremendous outreach, formed partnerships and gave invaluable information to distressed homeowners. Your efforts, along with the efforts of housing counselors, mortgage counselors and volunteer attorneys, resulted in valuable information and personal counseling being given to distressed homeowners in San Diego and Imperial County. Your hard work and dedication have aided homeowners immensely in recovering from their financial and mortgage crisis."

(Photo l to r: Housing Opportunities Collaborative Executive Director Vino Pajanor, Esq.; Jennifer Rodriguez, Springboard; Melinda Opperman, Springboard; Myrna Pascual, HUD San Diego Field Office; Maricela Lopez, Springboard.)

Springboard in the Community

Education Team members Terry Cardwell (l) and Carlos Vargas (r) prepare to make a delivery to the Salvation Army in Riverside.

Springboard helped make this Thanksgiving 2008 special for Inland Empire families in need. Inspired by Springboard CFO Marlisa Hodgin, Springboard commenced its first annual Thanksgiving basket donation. Because of Springboard's commitment to helping others, several families enjoyed a tasty Thanksgiving meal that they otherwise were not able to afford. Springboard distributed the Thanksgiving baskets to the following community organizations and centers:

Path of Life Homesless Shelter
Patricia Beatty Elementary
University Heights Middle School
North High School
House of Praise Academy
Alternatives to Domestic Violence
Jefferson Transitional Programs
Soboba Tribal TANF
Path of Life Ministries
Waterman Gardens Head Start
Jefferson Wellness Center
Foster Youth, San Bernardino
Salvation Army Riverside
Volunteer Center Riverside
Walden Family Services
Veronica's Home of Mercy, San Bernardino
Rancho Cucamonga Head Start

Education team members Lori Lamb (3rd from left) and Michelle Mealy (far right) deliver a Thanksgiving basket to Waterman Gardens Preschool in San Bernardino.


National Protect Your Identity Week 2008
In taking the lead in educating Southern California’s Inland Empire Community and beyond about the growing problem of identity theft, Springboard hosted a Community Shred and ID Theft Awareness Day on Friday, Oct. 24th at the company’s SHINE Center located in Riverside.  The event featured identity theft awareness seminars, free on-site document shredding, refreshments and a drawing for a cross-cut shredder.  A special agent from the U.S. Secret Service was the featured guest speaker at Springboard’s morning seminar. The agent showed a video, which demonstrated the ways in which identity thieves gain access to personal information, and this launched his educational presentation.

Springboard also participated in ID Theft awareness events in San Diego, which included a one-hour radio interview on George Chamberlin’s “Money in the Morning” radio program broadcast on KOGO 600 AM. 


United States Treasurer Anna Escobedo Cabral (left) with Springboard Home Ownership Preservation/Foreclosure Prevention Counselor Jennifer Rodriquez (right), photographed at the HOME Clinic held at the San Diego Convention Center in July 2008.

Money Matters

George Chamberlin hosted a special edition of Money Matters on NBC 7/39 to discuss events of the recent credit crunch. Guests on the show included Melinda Opperman, counselor and Vice President of Community Outreach for Springboard. Melinda visited with George Chamberlin to talk about help for people having a tough time with budgeting and paying off debt.

HOME (Home Owner Mobile Education) Clinic, San Diego, CA
San Diego's nonprofit housing Opportunities Collaborative (HOC) came to the aid of several hundred victims of a massive real estate fraud scheme by holding a special HOME Clinic for those victims at the Hall of Justice. The event included local HUD approved housing counseling agencies, including Springboard, and over 80 families having difficulty keeping their homes received counseling.

(l to r) Melinda Opperman, Springboard Vice President of Community Outreach; Yamila Ayad, NAHREP (National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals) Advisory Board, and Springboard Foreclosure Prevention Counselors Victor Martinez, Maricela Lopez, and Jennifer Rodriquez.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is offering advice to help prevent borrowers from becoming victims of foreclosure rescue scams. The office is also providing a list of resources consumers can use to find qualified sources for help.
Read the OCC's tips for avoiding foreclosure rescue scams here.

Springboard congratulates Housing Opportunities Collaborative Myrna B. Pascual on Award
The San Diego Housing Federation's 13th Annual Affordable Housing & Community Development Recognition Awards event titled "Framing Lives & Building Hope" presented Myrna B. Pascual a Special Recognition Award for her work establishing the housing training workshops and the HOME (Home Owner Mobile Education) Clinics to help distressed home owners facing foreclosure. The recognition acknowledges her vision and leadership in pulling together numerous housing counseling agencies (including Springboard), community and city agencies including the San Diego Bar Association and Legal Aid Society of San Diego to educate and counsel consumers at risk of losing their homes to foreclosure.

(l to r) Beatriz Cortes, Springboard; Gregorio Estrella, Housing Opportunities Collaborative; Myrna B. Pascual with award; Tom Scott, San Diego Housing Federation; and Melinda Opperman, Springboard.

Springboard Announces Winners in 2008 National BE MONEY WI$E Poster Contest
As part of our ongoing financial education programs we invite elementary, middle and high school students in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties to participate in a nationwide youth poster contest. This allows us to promote the importance of wise money management to young students. This year's theme was "Financial Responsibility Begins With Me," and the winners were Kamryn Waller, Isabel Meraz, and Deshanea Smith.
See our press release about the contest Here

Springboard Assists Federal Reserve Bank with Community Response to Rising Mortgage Woes
Springboard's President and Chief Executive Officer Todd Emerson recently spoke before the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. The discussion was on the recent crisis in the mortgage industry and its impact on the community. Springboard is dedicated to educating and counseling consumers, including those who are at risk of mortgage default or in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure.

Every Home Counts Community Workshop
Springboard participated in this presentation by the Neighborhood Housing Services of the Inland Empire, Inc. Held in San Bernardino, CA, this workshop offered information on the current housing market and foreclosure situation, along with panel discussions from volunteer experts and community leaders. We're deeply committed to preserving and expanding homeownership, so we couldn't be prouder of our participation in this important community event.