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Non-profit community organization providing free housing counseling, financial literacy, and consumer education across Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia, DC, and Puerto Rico since 2006.
Data compiled from public sources
Centro de Apoyo Familiar (CAF) was founded in 2006 in Lawrence, Massachusetts, with an initial mission to provide distressed homeowners with housing counseling services. The organization has expanded significantly over nearly two decades, establishing operations in Prince George's County, Maryland (2009), Virginia (2017), Washington DC (2020), and Puerto Rico (2024). This growth reflects their commitment to serving underserved communities across multiple states.
CAF offers a comprehensive range of free services spanning housing, consumer finance, workforce development, and community health. Their Housing and Consumer programs include foreclosure prevention counseling, homebuyer education, financial literacy training, rental counseling, credit counseling, and local consumer protection assistance. They additionally provide workforce development programs including digital literacy training, CDL Class B training, STEM programs for youth, and small business owner training. Their Healthy Families initiatives address environmental health, family strengthening, mental health support, and COVID-19 prevention.
CAF distinguishes itself through its explicit commitment to serving all individuals regardless of race, sex, social or economic status, with services available in both English and Spanish. The organization operates through partnerships with community and faith-based organizations using a "Train the Trainer" model to multiply impact. They conduct regular community programs, workshops, and advocacy work, as evidenced by their participation in public hearings and observance of community milestones like Financial Literacy Month and Black History Month.
As a free-help non-profit, CAF provides legitimate value for consumers seeking housing counseling and financial education without debt traps or high-cost lending. However, the website provides limited details about counselor certifications, response times, or specific outcomes. The organization's expansion across multiple states may affect service consistency. Consumers should verify that counselors are HUD-approved or NFCC-certified before engaging, though this information is not explicitly stated on their homepage.
This is state-level context for Free Help consumers in Lawrence, MA. It does not confirm that Centro De Apoyo Familiar (Caf)-Ma or this specific location is licensed.
State regulator
Massachusetts Division of Banks
Consumer protection
Source: CreditDoc state-law summary and listed public regulator resources. Verify licensing directly with the listed state regulator before relying on a provider.
Centro De Apoyo Familiar (Caf)-Ma offers 12 services including Foreclosure prevention counseling, Homebuyer education programs, Financial literacy training, Rental counseling, Credit counseling, and 7 more.
Centro De Apoyo Familiar (Caf)-Ma has profile signals associated with Homeowners facing foreclosure seeking free preventive counseling, Renters needing affordable housing guidance and rental counseling, Spanish-speaking individuals seeking financial literacy and consumer education, Low-income families in Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia, DC, or Puerto Rico.
Key strengths: Free housing counseling and foreclosure prevention services for distressed homeowners; Bilingual services in English and Spanish across multiple states; Free financial literacy and credit counseling programs. Areas to consider: Website does not specify whether counselors are HUD-approved or NFCC-certified; No information provided about average response times or wait periods for counseling.
In the Free Help category, comparable providers include Act Lawrence, Inc Formerly Arlington Community Trabajando, Inc, American Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc., Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp.. Each company has different strengths, so compare services, pricing, and consumer complaint records before deciding what to do next.
CreditDoc Profile Note
CAF is profile signals for homeowners facing foreclosure, renters, and low-to-moderate income families seeking free housing counseling and financial education in their service areas. The main caveat is that the website lacks verification of counselor certifications (HUD-approval or NFCC-certification) and provides minimal data on service outcomes or response times, requiring prospective clients to contact them directly for operational details.
Latina-led non-profit CDC in Lawrence, MA offering HUD-certified housing counseling, financial coaching, and community development programs since 1996.
Profile signals: First-time homebuyers in Lawrence seeking affordable housing counseling and mortgage preparation, Low-to-moderate income Lawrence residents facing mortgage delinquency or foreclosure risk
ACCC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit credit counseling agency founded in 1991, offering free debt management programs starting at \/month. BBB A+ rated with 4.98 stars, NFCC member, licensed in all 50 states.
Google rating from 35,854 reviews
Profile signals: Consumers with $3,000-$50,000 in unsecured credit card debt seeking a structured, nonprofit-guided repayment plan, Individuals who want to avoid bankruptcy and debt settlement but need professional help negotiating lower interest rates with creditors
NFCC-certified nonprofit offering free credit counseling, debt management plans, housing counseling, and bankruptcy guidance since 1996.
Google rating from 146 reviews
Profile signals: Consumers carrying high-interest credit card debt who want a structured, creditor-negotiated payoff plan without the risks of debt settlement, Homeowners facing foreclosure or seeking first-time homebuyer education through an HUD-approved agency
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