60 Years of Empowering Financial Wellness
- August 30, 2021
Throughout this month we’ve been celebrating a key event.
In August 1961, Albert O. Horner founded GreenPath with a vision: to change lives.
Born out of the Michigan Credit Union League as a budgeting and financial education service, the organization was incorporated as Credit Counseling Centers several years later.
GreenPath was one of the country’s first agencies that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approved to conduct financial counseling services. Since 2004, its 995-HOPE hotline and 167 HUD-certified counselors and housing experts have helped more than 9 million distressed borrowers. GreenPath was one of the first agencies approved by the Department of Justice to provide bankruptcy and education services.
“I am so grateful to all those who are continuing my life’s work and passion,” remarked Mr. Horner.
Team Reflections
As we celebrate our 60-year anniversary, we have been sharing reflections of team members whose work contributes to improving the financial health of hundreds of thousands of people each year.
View some of these reflections as well written thoughts from Kristen Holt, GreenPath President and CEO, and Donna McNeill, COO.
Kristen Holt – President & CEO
When I think of the “why” behind the work we do at GreenPath, it starts with those we have served over the last six decades. Financial concerns create stress, anxiety, and have ripple down effects on people’s lives with negative consequences.
GreenPath changes people’s lives in profound ways. We have done this for 60 years and continue to do it in better ways every day.
Our clients want to improve their financial health, but systems are complex, confusing, and often times companies take advantage of their stress and entice them to do things that are not in their best interest.
I love leading an organization where each of our nearly 500 team members, wakes up each day wanting to improve our client’s lives, and provide the empathy and unbiased advice, so they can improve their financial health.
I live for reading our clients’ comments on what a difference we have made in their lives – like this recent post on the GreenPath Financial Wellness Friends Facebook Group:
GreenPath has been an amazing partner through my debt management journey. They made something possible I never could have achieved on my own – AND SO FAST! If you feel discouraged, KEEP GOING!
THIS is why I get up every day for this work, knowing that our work matters.
Donna McNeill, Chief Operating Officer
After six decades, and in the face of continued volatility stemming from the COVID crisis, our commitment is to focus on empowering people to lead financially healthy lives – as hundreds of thousands of people improve their financial health by working with us.
As one of the first agencies approved by HUD to conduct financial counseling services, and one of the first agencies approved by the Department of Justice to provide bankruptcy and education services. GreenPath stands ready to serve in the decades ahead.