Newark - U.S. Senator Robert Menendez today joined New Jersey Veterans; Phyllis Salowe-Kaye, Executive Director New Jersey Citizen Action; and Helen Steblecki, Senior Vice President of Citi Community Development and New Jersey State Director; to launch the Financial Resource Education and Empowerment (FREE) program to help veterans who are experiencing financial difficulty by providing comprehensive housing and financial education and counseling. Both unemployment rates and instances of homelessness are high among returning veterans.

"Veterans are deservedly among the most respected and revered members of this nation, but we need to do more than salute them for their duty," said Senator Robert Menendez. "Even after the physical and mental wounds of war heal, many veterans find themselves struggling to survive in this harsh economic climate. Many return to find a complicated financial system which they have to navigate alone. This program makes sure they aren't alone. I commend New Jersey Citizen Action for finding a solution to a critical and often overlooked problem."

"The return of thousands of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan has called attention to the huge need for comprehensive financial education and counseling services for Veterans and their families across New Jersey, who are often faced with numerous financial barriers," said Phyllis Salowe-Kaye, Executive Director New Jersey Citizen Action. "Citizen Action has seen an increased need for financial programs and services over the last year, and by providing targeted financial skills-building and asset-building programs and services for Veterans, we will be able to address the need to serve those who have served us. The launch of this program gives us the opportunity to serve all Veterans and their families across the state."

"We are pleased to work with New Jersey Citizen Action Education Fund to support veterans and military personnel as they transition to civilian life," said Helen Steblecki, State Director for New Jersey, Citi Community Development. "Empowering veterans and military families to manage their money is the driving force of this partnership. In addition, it is also a key pillar of Citi Salutes, which also encompasses our commitment to the more than 2,000 military veterans as well as guardsmen and reservists at Citi, and a strong focus on continuing to hire them in key positions throughout our company."

"Veterans, just like the average person in our society, often join the military as a result of economic insecurity in their lives, and too often our veterans come home to a cold world that has very little if any understanding about how to reintegrate them back into the civilian world," said Dr. Margaret Stevens, Medic 91 Bravo, US Army National Guard, Director of the Urban Institute, Essex Community College. "As a community college professor, community activist and veteran, I am excited and ready to join with this new endeavor in working as hard as possible to offer more sound and viable opportunities that will make a proven, positive advancement in the lives of veterans."

"In a country that has so much wealth, the word homeless should not even be in our vocabulary and the words homeless and veteran should never be seen together," said Ken Dalton, President of Veterans for Peace.

The NJCAEF FREE program will coordinate and conduct quality financial education workshops coupled with intensive one-on-one financial and housing counseling in English & Spanish to ensure that all program participants have an understanding of basic banking, budgeting, credit, and other financial concerns. NJCA offers pre-purchase counseling for first-time home buyers, general credit counseling, home improvement counseling, and foreclosure prevention counseling. Counseling centers are located in Newark, Passaic, Jersey City, Rahway, Plainfield, Highland Park, and Cherry Hill.

Any veteran seeking to make an appointment for counseling can call 800-NJ-OWNER, or 800-656-9637 for help. For more information please visit http://www.njcitizenaction.org/

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From L to R: Robert (Bob) Annibale, Senior Manager of Citi US Community Development and Global Microfinance; Senator Menendez; Ken Dalton, President of Veterans for Peace; Phyllis Salowe-Kaye, Executive Director New Jersey Citizen Action; and Helen Steblecki, Senior Vice President of Citi Community Development and New Jersey State Director.

Senator Menendez stands with members of American Legion, Department of New Jersey.

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Senator Menendez with two New Jersey veterans to launch the Financial Resource Education and Empowerment (FREE) program.

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