Alma Financial Assistance Corp

CREDIT COUNSELING SERVICES

ALMA PROVIDES ITS SERVICES EXCLUSIVELY TO THE COMMUNITY OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO. SINCE FEBRUARY OF 2020, THE WORLDWIDE SPREAD OF THE DEADLY CORONA VIRUS SEVERELY IMPACTED THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE AS WELL AS OUR DAILY WAY OF LIFE. MEASURES TAKEN BY THE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF THE DEADLY DISEASE AMONG THE POPULATION OF THIS COUNTRY, INCLUDING PUERTO RICO, SUCH AS STAY AT HOME ORDERS, CLOSURES OF BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, CURFEWS, AMONG OTHERS, DISRUPTED OUR DAILY WAY OF LIFE AND HAVE SEVERELY RESTRICTED THE ABILITY OF ALMA FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE CORP. TO PERFORM ITS IN PERSON EDUCATIONAL AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES IN PUERTO RICO AS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HIT THIS COUNTRY. DURING THE 2020-2021 FISCAL YEAR, THE PANDEMIC OUTBREAK CONTINUED TO SEVERELY AFFECT THE CORPORATION'S ACTIVITIES IN PUERTO RICO. ALMA'S OFFICE IN SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO, HAD TO REMAIN CLOSED THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR DUE TO THE LOCKDOWNS AND RESTRICTIONS OF MOVEMENT OF RESIDENTS AND PROHIBITION OF PUBLIC GATHERINGS IMPOSED BY THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO CURB THE DEVASTATING EFFECT OF THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK IN THE PUERTO RICAN TERRITORY. IN PERSON EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES WERE INEXISTENT DURING THE PERIOD SINCE ALL SCHOOLS WERE CLOSED AND REMOTE LEARNING WAS IMPLEMENTED IN THE PUERTO RICO'S PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE FISCAL YEAR, THUS PLACING ON HOLD ALMA'S EDUCATIONAL AGREEMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OF PUERTO RICO.ALMA'S STAFF SWITCHED TO REMOTE WORKING AND BEGAN TO WORK FROM THEIR HOME TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC. CONSUMERS WOULD CONTACT ALMA VIA TELEPHONE AND ALMA'S WEB SITE THAT PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FREE OF CHARGE TO THE PUBLIC. DURING THIS PERIOD APPROXIMATELY 2,000 CONSUMERS VISITED THE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS IN ALMA'S WEBSITE, IN ADDITION TO APPROXIMATELY 1,100 CONSUMERS THAT CONTACTED ALMA BY PHONE.