Local consumers benefit from free financial resources in Fontana, CA

Consumer Action’s community outreach and training manager, Linda Williams, recently attended Fontana’s 15th Annual Community Assistance Program Resource Fair. The Southern California event was hosted by the City of Fontana Community Assistance Program and CityLink, the social services outreach arm of Water of Life Church. Both agencies provide vital services to needy residents of Fontana, including hygiene products to homeless populations, rental assistance to prevent homelessness, and life skills and financial counseling to low-income individuals and families.

Over 60 other agencies from all four corners of the Inland Empire and San Diego also attended the important event, including the Asian American Resource Center, Foothill AIDS Project, Valley Star Community Services, 211 and Purple Hearts (an agency that serves women throughout Southern California who are escaping domestic violence). Several local dignitaries showed up as well, along with a representative from the office of U.S. Congressman Pete Aguilar (D-CA).

The fair provided vendors with an hour to network with each other to learn more about the services they offered, before turning their attention to attendees. During the networking hour, Williams provided all 60 vendors with a brief presentation about Consumer Action and our many free resources. As a result of this networking, Williams will provide several agencies, including Purple Hearts, with free financial empowerment trainings starting in the fall.

When fair attendees arrived, Williams distributed a variety of brochures from Consumer Action’s longstanding Managing Money Project, which promotes wise personal finance practices and informed consumer choices. Williams also answered questions from the audience about how to recover from ID theft and how to handle debt collector calls.

“The Fontana community assistance event was a huge success,” Williams said. “Our free financial education materials will empower both regional community-based organizations and the often underserved consumers they serve.”