Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition Inc

A STATEWIDE COALITION OF INDIVIDUALS AND AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS THAT ADVANCE CONSUMER RIGHTS AND FINANCIAL INCLUSION THROUGH RESEARCH, EDUCATION, ADVOCACY, DIRECT SERVICE, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING.

SOAR: OUR SOAR PROGRAM MOVED ONLINE IN 2020 BUT TOOK ON NEW CHALLENGES IN LIGHT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. SOAR COUNSELORS WORKED WITH PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS TO ASSIST WITH FOOD PROVISION, UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE, AND PROCURE COMPUTERS AND TRAINING FOR OLDER ADULTS TO REDUCE THEIR ISOLATION AND ENABLE THEM TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE FINANCIAL COUNSELING AND COACHING FROM OUR STAFF. IN ADDITION, WE SAW INCREASED DEMAND FOR OUR SERVICES, WITH A 75% INCREASE IN CALLS TO OUR HOTLINE AND THOUSANDS MORE HITS TO OUR WEBSITE. WE PROVIDED TRAININGS, COACHING, AND COUNSELING TO 262 OLDER ADULTS, AND RETURNED $151,000 TO OLDER ADULTS IN MARYLAND THROUGH HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS TAX CREDIT ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS CHECK-UPS.

OTHER PROGRAMS: MCRC SIGNED A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONAL SIGN-ON LETTERS TO PRESS FOR STRONGER DEBT COLLECTION RULES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, PARTICIPATED IN TOWN HALLS AS AN EXPERT PANELIST WITH CONGRESSMAN JAMIE RASKIN ON AVOIDING COVID-19 SCAMS AS WELL AS WITH SENATOR CHRIS VAN HOLLEN ON HOUSING AND FORECLOSURE ISSUES RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC. MCRC'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SERVED AS CO-CHAIR OF THE CONSUMER PROTECTION COMMITTEE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL FROSH'S COVID-19 TASK FORCE AND LED THE DEVELOPMENT AND DRAFTING OF PROGRAM AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO DEBT COLLECTION.

STUDENT RIGHTS: MCRC RELEASED A NEW POLICY RESEARCH REPORT ON FOR-PROFIT COLLEGES IN MARYLAND CALLED "ENSURING QUALITY AND VALUE AT MARYLAND'S FOR-PROFIT SCHOOLS: POLICY OPTIONS" WHICH DETAILED OUTCOMES AT ALL FOR-PROFIT COLLEGES IN THE STATE. MCRC LED EFFORTS TO PASS LEGISLATION TO CLOSE THE 90/10 LOOPHOLE WHICH ENABLED FOR-PROFIT COLLEGES TO AGGRESSIVELY TARGET VETERANS. THE LEGISLATION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY, MAKING MARYLAND THE FIRST STATE IN THE NATION TO CLOSE THE 90/10 LOOPHOLE. MCRC WORKED WITH COLLEGE STUDENTS AT THE ONSET OF COVID-19 TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR HOUSING AND FOOD INSECURE STUDENTS, CREATED A FACTSHEET TO HELP STUDENTS UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS IN TERMS OF BREAKING A LEASE DURING COVID-19, ORGANIZED STUDENTS WHOSE COLLEGES WERE REFUSING TO PROVIDE A REFUND DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND WORKED THROUGHOUT THE FALL IN COALITION TO RESEARCH AND DOCUMENT THE CHALLENGES THAT FORMER FOSTER YOUTH, FORMER HOMELESS, AND FOOD AND HOUSING INSECURE STUDENTS FACE AT COLLEGE. THIS COALITION WORK LED MCRC AND OTHERS TO DRAFT AND PASS LEGISLATION TO CREATE "HUNGER FREE CAMPUSESX AND EXPAND FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS.