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Desjardins Mutual Assistance Fund

Help for people in financial difficulty

The program provides people in financial difficulty or who have unexpected, urgent expenses, with:

  • free budget counselling
  • subject to certain conditions, loans with payment terms adapted to their financial capacity

How it works

  1. Contact your local participating community organization.

    You'll get free, confidential budget counselling to help you evaluate your financial situation, better plan and manage your budget and find solutions that suit your needs.

  2. If financing is one of the solutions proposed, a small loan may be recommended. Cases that require a loan are submitted to a loan committee for consideration1.

    Support is provided throughout the loan repayment period.

    Read the Impact study (Mutual Assistance Fund) (PDF, 1.17 MB)

To contact a community organization

Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine

Vidéo

Description Transcript
Desjardins Mutual Assistance Fund

1 min 34 s | Added on November 7, 2019

The Desjardins Mutual Assistance Fund program is designed to support people experiencing financial difficulties or facing one-time emergency expenses. Through budget advice and, if necessary, a small loan, it helps reduce debt and promote financial literacy. Discover the benefits of this program!
Desjardins Mutual Assistance Fund (1 min 34 s)

Added on November 7, 2019 | Mouvement Desjardins

Note: The information in brackets describes the visual and audio content of the video, and the rest of the text corresponds to the dialogue.

[Music]

[Text on screen: Desjardins Mutual Assistance Fund]

[The Desjardins logo frames the text on the screen]

[Text on screen: Thanks to the commitment of Desjardins caisses, in partnership with 35 community organizations, the Desjardins Mutual Assistance Fund is lending a helping hand to people experiencing financial difficulties.]

[The screen splits in 2]

[Text on screen: What is the Desjardins Mutual Assistance Fund?]

[A man and a woman are looking at a computer screen]

[Text on screen: #1 - FREE budget counselling]

[A woman is showing a document to her coworkers]

[Text on screen: #2 – Expert advice]

[We see stacks of coins on the screen.]

[Text on screen: #3 – Small loans, if needed]

[The coins give way to the Desjardins logo.]

[Text on screen: A helping hand to …]

[The Desjardins logo moves across the screen like an arrow.]

[Text on screen: find a way out of a difficult situation]

[There's a magnifying glass to the left of the text.]

[Text on screen: Get a clear idea of your finances]

[There are coins to the left of the text.]

[Text on screen: Learn how to make a budget]

[Text on screen: And it works!]

[Text on screen: 84% of participants improved their situation]

[We see a participant, and she's quoted.]

[Text on screen: "If I'd known, I would have come sooner!"]

[Text on screen: 87% changed their buying habits]

[We see a participant, and he's quoted.]

[Text on screen: "I've made peace with money."]

[Text on screen: 98% found answers that suited their needs]

[We see a man and a woman participant, and they're quoted.]

[Text on screen: "The advisors gave me tons of tips."]

[Text on screen: 100% felt heard and respected]

[We see a mother and daughter, and the mother is quoted.]

[Text on screen: "I was amazed at how much assistance they were able to provide."]

[The Desjardins logo appears.]

[Text on screen: Since 2001… ]

[An icon representing people is to the left of the text.]

[Text on screen: 106,807 people assisted]

[The screen splits in 2, and a budget chart icon goes to the left of the text.]

[Text on screen: 62,929 one-on-one budget consultations]

[The screen splits in 3, and a money icon appears.]

[Text on screen: 9,393 loans]

[The screen splits in 4, and a money bag icon appears.]

[Text on screen: $5,607,904 granted]

[The Desjardins logo appears quickly.]

[Text on screen: Desjardins Mutual Assistance Fund]

[Keyboard typing sound]

[Text on screen: Learn more about partner organizations at desjardins.com/mutualassistance]

END OF TEXT TRANSCRIPTION

To be eligible for a loan, you must:

  • Agree to receive budget counselling.
  • Apply for a loan to cover unexpected expenses resulting from an essential need.
  • Be able to repay the loan.
  • Be a member of a participating Desjardins caisse or agree to become one.