ARM Industry Philanthropy is Very Important

The following Opinion piece was submitted by Ted Smith, interim CEO of ACA International, and Mark Schiffman, executive director of the ACA International Education Foundation.

April is National Financial Literacy Month and National Credit Education Week, both of which rely on the active involvement of the ARM industry.

One of the most important gifts one person, or a group of people, can give is their time, energy and resources to help others in need.  ACA International is proud of the many incredible acts of selfless generosity and kindness we’ve seen by the ARM industry, beyond just a special month or week. We admire the heart of these men and women and believe that there is much to celebrate in their collective philanthropic efforts. Efforts like INNVITE, ARMing Heroes and Autism Speaks are only a few of the countless examples of industry altruism.

There are a seemingly infinite number of worthy causes that benefit from philanthropy, not just the donation of money but also the commitment of time and energy.  Each year we see shining examples of people and organizations rallying together in response to national or international crises, issues and causes that are worthy of time and attention. Closer to home, many of us read, see, hear or are involved with amazing stories about selfless acts of philanthropy in our own states and communities – from the local PTO fund drive to giving blood to helping fundraise for a new hospital or fight a disease, there are selfless acts of generosity every single day.

Altruism takes many shapes and forms and is a uniquely personal decision about where to commit time and resources. Typically, it’s a cause or issue tied to an individual’s experience and passion. However, one person’s passion may not mean the same to another.

Rather than try to encourage ACA members to embrace only one worthy effort, we’ve sought to celebrate the many “good deeds” our members and their more than 150,000 employees do to benefit communities across America. Whether, it’s filling food shelves in California, feeding the homeless in Kansas, helping to rebuild a home for a young patient battling a debilitating illness in Tennessee, or donating employee time and contributions to non-profits in Florida – ACA members are doing important things every day.

Additionally, ACA International Education Foundation exists to help increase consumer financial literacy and created an invaluable resource called AskDoctorDebt.com.  Knowledge is among the most important “gifts” that the ARM industry can give consumers and AskDoctorDebt.com’s reliable and straightforward information about consumer rights helps us fulfill this mission.

Let’s cast our focus on the collective efforts of the ARM industry and celebrate the many amazing acts of selfless kindness and generosity. ACA encourages members to share their stories and hope InsideARM will continue to be a venue for publicizing debt collector philanthropy.