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The Urban League of San Diego County and Moneytree Inc. will launch a partnership on July 20 to ensure that their constituents have the financial information to make sound decisions with regard to both traditional and nontraditional banking services. This partnership has been formed to promote social change with an economic empowerment initiative.

The first workshop will take place on Friday, July 20 at 10 a.m. at the Black Contractors Association Office, 6125 Imperial Avenue, San Diego.

The partnership will conduct additional workshops for youth and adults in the community by targeting several existing community based organizations, schools, and churches. The first organization to benefit from this partnership is the Black Contractors Association founded and headed by Mr. Abdur-Rahim Hameed and his Youth Build Program.

The Urban League and its Young Professionals, a volunteer auxiliary arm of the agency, along with its successful trademarked program “The YP Road Show,” will kick off the partnership by implementing basic financial literacy workshops with a focus on basic banking, household budgeting, investing, credit management, and saving.

Cecil H. Steppe, President and CEO of the Urban League, stated “The Urban League has historically been an agency that provides advocacy, so I was pleasantly surprised when contacted by Moneytree with this idea of a partnership. The goal of this program is to teach our constituents about their finances and help get them to a place where they won’t need to rely on a payday loan, overdraft protection from banks or credit unions, or other loan services to meet their short-term financial needs.

“I am pleased that Moneytree is in full support of our objectives and equally interested in helping people make sound financial choices,” he added. “This partnership will help people in our community realize sound financial health. “

Dennis Bassford, President & CEO of Moneytree, Inc. stated, “Moneytree provides a financial option for assistance with short-term financial needs. It is important that a payday loan be used responsibly and only for what it is intended – filling a short-term financial need. We are pleased to partner with the Urban League through this unique program which will help consumers use financial services responsibly and better manage their longterm finances.”

The Urban League of San Diego County is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, civil rights and community-based movement that serves over 10,000 people, by providing direct services, research and policy advocacy to help individuals and communities reach their fullest potential. Primarily working with African-American and other emerging ethnic communities, its network of professional staff is working to close equality gaps for people at all economic levels and stages of life, and giving citizens a chance to give back as volunteers.

Moneytree Inc. was established in 1983 and its corporate headquarters is located in Seattle, Washington. A pioneer in developing retail financial services, Moneytree has more than 125 branches in Southern California, Washington, Idaho, Nevada and Colorado The mission of Moneytree is to be the best provider of retail financial services by exceeding customer expectations, creating a professional work environment and making a positive impact on the communities in which they live and work. In addition to their core financial products, Moneytree offers money orders, wire funds transfers, prepaid debit cards, prepaid long distance phone cards and ATM services. For more information about Moneytree Inc., go to: www.moneytreeinc.com.