CRISS-CROSS, Inc. Joins Money Management International

CLARKSBURG, W.Va., Nov. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Consumer Referral and Information Service System for Citizens, Resources and Organizations Seeking Solutions (CRISS-CROSS), a nonprofit community service organization providing valuable social and financial services in West Virginia, announced today its decision to join Money Management International (MMI); the nation's largest nonprofit full-service consumer credit counseling agency.

CRISS-CROSS has been providing family and social services, including financial referral programs to assist with food, clothing, housing, utilities and many other sustainability services to local residents in West Virginia since 1976. The organization also serves as a financial education resource, known locally as Consumer Credit Counseling Services of North Central West Virginia, offering community education programs and counseling services since 1984. In addition to the assistance provided to individuals and families dealing with financial concerns, CRISS-CROSS also provides representative payee services.

"By partnering with MMI, the families we help will have access to valuable national and regional programs and additional tools and resources to help them reach their financial goals," said Amie Darway, executive director for CRISS-CROSS. "This partnership enables us to combine resources with MMI and further our commitment to provide our local communities and clients with the highest level of quality in financial education and counseling."

Together, the combined organizations will provide consumers with financial education and counseling services through nearly 90 branch offices across the nation and with 24 hour a day, 7 day a week assistance by telephone and Internet. Local counseling services and community education programs will remain available in the Clarksburg and Morgantown communities under the MMI name. Representative payee services will also be available to local residents, as well as to individuals and families needing the service from anywhere across the country.  The representative payee service will continue to operate as CRISS-CROSS, but as a division of MMI.  To learn more about the representative payee services provided by CRISS-CROSS, visit CRISS-CROSSWV.org.

Referral programs supporting CRISS-CROSS family and social services are available to local residents across the north central region of West Virginia through referral partnerships and programs provided by The Connecting Link.

"We are excited to welcome CRISS-CROSS to the MMI family," said Ivan Hand, President and CEO of MMI. "This merger will allow us to extend our mission and reach into areas outside of traditional credit counseling services."

To learn more about MMI's financial education programs and services or to schedule a counseling appointment, visit MoneyManagement.org or call 800.432.7310. To speak with a support counselor about an existing CRISS-CROSS debt management plan, call 800.479.7117 or visit MyCCCSaccount.com.

About Money Management International
Money Management International (MMI) is a nonprofit, full-service credit-counseling agency, providing confidential financial guidance, financial education, counseling and debt management assistance to consumers since 1958. MMI's counselors are both HUD certified to deliver housing counseling services, including delinquency mortgage counseling, and approved by the EOUST to deliver bankruptcy counseling and education. Counseling is available by appointment in branch offices and 24/7 by telephone and Internet. Services are available in English or Spanish. To learn more, call 800.432.7310 or visit www.MoneyManagement.org.

Contact:
Tanisha Warner
Media Relations
713.394.3202
[email protected]

SOURCE Money Management International