SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company, Inc. Joins With The Somerset County Coalition on Affordable Housing to Sponsor Workshop for Renters

SBLI USA Vice President Zoe Agios to Address Prospective Tenants on Rental Realities©" -- Credit Scoring, You and Your Credit, and Money Management"

NEW YORK, NY (PRWEB) April 17, 2005 -- SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company, Inc., a financial services company committed to the financial empowerment of all people, is joining with the Somerset County Coalition on Affordable Housing (SCCOAH) to educate those who live and work in Somerset County on how to become better renters.

Next Tuesday, April 19, 2005, SBLI USA Vice President Zoe Agios will address over fifty registrants at SCCOAHs Rental Realities©" workshop, to be held at the County Human Services Building at 92 East Main Street in Somerville, New Jersey. SCCOAH is a HUD-certified housing counseling agency that provides clients with free information and services to overcome or address their housing obstacles.

Ms. Agios presentation will specifically address the topics of Credit Scoring," You and Your Credit," and Money Management." Other topics to be covered during the evening include finding and applying for rental housing in New Jersey, fair housing, tenant and landlord responsibilities, problem-solving, and legal issues in renting. The program begins at 5 p.m. and concludes at 8 p.m.

Each year in April, SCCOAH coordinates Somerset County Housing Month to focus attention on affordable housing issues and needs, and the successful efforts that are being made to address the lack of affordable housing are highlighted. Housing Month commemorates the anniversary of the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968.

SBLI USA is one of our newest sponsors and we are very excited they have chosen to sponsor with our agency, not only financially, but also by stepping up and providing an excellent speaker for the Rental Realities© course participants," stated Ed Israelow, SCCOAHs president.

Education and empowerment are cornerstones of our mission as a financial services company," said Vikki L. Pryor, president and CEO of SBLI USA. We are fortunate to be able to give back to the community by sharing our knowledge and expertise in order to help those who live and work in Somerset County become educated renters. By educating the community about their credit and managing their finances, we hope to empower people towards making responsible financial decisions down the road."

With over 400,000 policyholders in New York, New Jersey, and other states, SBLI USA has a 66-year history of providing working American families with reasonably-priced, easy-to-attain life insurance. The Company markets a full range of life insurance products to value-conscious consumers and diverse markets. SBLI USAs products are available through a variety of distribution channels, including walk-in Customer Centers, partner banks, telesales, telemarketing and direct mail. Additionally, the Company has a bilingual Web site that offers all of its information in Spanish and English, and offers comprehensive customer service in both Spanish and English.

Ms. Agios, who is based at the Companys Operations Center in downtown Newark, leads SBLI USAs telesales operations, a key distribution channel. She previously worked for Prudential Financial, and also as a consultant, assisting financial services companies with various project management needs and creating not-for-profit organizations. Ms. Agios earned a bachelors degree in finance and marketing from the University of South Florida.

SCCOAH was organized in 1987 as a non-profit alliance to address the lack of affordable housing in Somerset County. SCCOAH is a collaboration of corporate, civic, business, government, housing, and advocacy groups working together on a variety of strategies to increase affordable housing development and provide consumers with information on existing affordable housing.

Rental Realities©" was developed in 2002 to help tenants become better renters. Operating under the premise that only informed tenants should rent apartments or homes, the course was developed to teach low- and moderate-income tenants to recognize that a lease is a binding document, that security deposits collect interest and that renters and their landlords have strong legal rights. The course is offered for free and those who complete it receive official certification.

Many people focus on getting families into homeownership, but Somerset County is an area consistently ranked as one of the most expensive in the whole United States," said Sharon Clark, co-executive director of SCCOAH. Therefore, many people have no choice but to rent. We want them to be as educated on their rights as tenants, and what their obligations, are as are our pre-purchase clients."

About SBLI USA
SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company, Inc. is a financial services company that is committed to value-conscious consumers. The company is dedicated to building lifelong relationships with customers and empowering them with the education and tools they need to take control of their financial destinies.

SBLI USA and its subsidiaries are licensed in 49 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. With more than $17 billion of insurance in force, $1.5 billion in assets, $120 million in surplus capital, 250 employees and over 400,000 customers, the Company is committed to offering affordable, flexible and easy-to-access products through a variety of integrated channels, including direct mail, telemarketing, a bilingual Web site, licensed agents, and new Customer Centers, as it expands nationally.

SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company, Inc. is the parent company to SBLI USA Holdings, Inc., which owns subsidiary companies S.USA Life Insurance Company, Inc., and SBLI USA Diversified Services Company, Inc.

Additional information about SBLI USA products and services can be found at www.sbliusa.com.

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