Host Debt-Relief and Credit-Repair Clinics

Debt impacts every part of a person’s life, and a missed payment or a payday loan can make it harder to rent a home, find a job, or afford basic need items. Many people want to rebuild but do not know where to start or whom to trust. Debt-relief and credit-repair clinics offer a safe place to begin again. When communities create free, judgment-free clinics with clear guidance, people learn how to manage debt, restore credit, and move toward lasting financial stability.

To Get Started:

• Find a trusted host site: Use a public library, school, faith center, or community space that people already know. A familiar setting helps reduce stigma and builds trust.

• Recruit financial experts and volunteers: Partner with credit counselors, financial coaches, or bank employees willing to donate time. Provide training so every volunteer gives consistent and reliable information.

• Offer one-on-one and group sessions: Combine private counseling for debt relief with group workshops on budgeting and credit rebuilding. Keep all services free.

• Promote widely and respectfully: Spread the word through local organizations, employers, and schools.

• Measure and expand: Track the number of participants who lower their debt, raise their credit score, or open a savings account. Use the data to attract more people who need this assistance.

Best Practices / Innovative Programs:

• Philanthropic Organization

  • Citi Foundation: Community Progress Makers provides unrestricted, multi-year funding to nonprofits working to increase economic opportunity for low-income communities. Their grants focus on proven models that help families move from crisis to stability.

  • Annie E. Casey Foundation: Financial Stability Portfolio supports local organizations that teach financial literacy and offer credit repair services. The foundation focuses on families working to break intergenerational poverty.

• Nonprofit Organization

  • GreenPath Financial Wellness provides free or low-cost counseling and certified debt-management plans nationwide. The nonprofit’s counselors help clients create budgets and repay debt faster.

  • Operation HOPE participants receive free coaching to reduce debt, increase savings, and improve credit scores.

  • Restoration Plaza offers free budgeting, debt, and credit counseling for neighborhood residents. It shows how community anchors can host clinics that build trust and improve financial health.

  • Stand By Me is a joint effort between United Way of Delaware and the State of Delaware. Stand By Me provides free one-on-one coaching that focuses on debt management and credit repair.

• Government

  • Financial Empowerment Centers runs free, certified financial counseling across all five boroughs in New York City, helping residents repair credit, manage debt, and build savings. 

  • Financial Empowerment Coalition brings certified financial counselors into libraries and workforce centers in Harris County Texas. The partnership connects families with free advice and practical tools to manage debt.

• Financial Institution

  Truist Financial: Money & Mindset Initiative offers employer-based financial wellness programs nationally. Sessions include credit coaching, debt management, and savings strategies.