Desjardins Mutual Assistance Funds

In the last few years, Quebec has seen an alarming rise in the debt rate. Commercial soliciting is rampant and aggravates the often precarious financial situation of some consumers. This is why Desjardins Group launched the Desjardins Mutual Assistance Funds.

Working in partnership with budget consulting organizations, this community product aims to help people in financial difficulty by offering budget management advisory services and, if needed, a "tide-over" loan.

The average loan amount is $500 and the repayment period is spread over a maximum of 24 months. Most Desjardins Mutual Assistance Funds offer interest-free loans.

Individual budget advice is offered free of charge by all the budget consulting organizations; however, only those associated with a Desjardins Mutual Assistance Fund offer the possibility of a loan (see the list). Clients should contact these organizations by telephone and must:

• be a member of a participating caisse or agree to become a member (certain conditions apply)
• agree to participate in budget consulting under the responsibility of the budget consulting organization associated with a Desjardins Mutual Assistance Fund
• be able to repay the loan

Budget consulting organizations associated with a Desjardins Mutual Assistance Fund
Association coopérative d'économie familiale (ACEF) de la Rive-Sud de Québec	418-835-6633
ACEF de Lanaudière	450-756-1333
ACEF Montérégie-Est	450-375-1443
ACEF de l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue	1-877-764-3302
ACEF de l'Est de Montréal	514-257-0904
ACEF du Nord de Montréal	514-277-7959
ACEF du Sud-Ouest de Montréal	514-362-1771
ACEF de la Rive-Sud de Montréal	1-877-677-6394
ACEF de l'Île Jésus (Laval)	450-662-9144
ACEF de l'Outaouais	819-770-4911
ACEF du Grand-Portage (Rivière-du-Loup)	418-867-8545
ACEF du Grand-Portage (Gaspésie)	1-888-368-0029
ACEF de Québec (Portneuf)	418-285-2626, ext. 5401
ACEF de Rimouski-Neigette et Mitis	418-723-0744
ACEF des Basses-Laurentides	450-430-2228
ACEF Amiante-Beauce-Etchemins	418-338-4755
Association pour la protection des intérêts des consommateurs (APIC) de Baie-Comeau	1-877-589-7324
Centre d'intervention budgétaire et sociale (CIBES) de la Mauricie	819-378-7888
Centre de recherche et d'information en consommation (CRIC) de Port-Cartier - Sept-Îles	418-766-3203
Entraide Budgetaire Ottawa	613-746-0400
Groupe de recherche en animation et planification économique de Québec (GRAPE)	418-522-7356
Option Consommateurs (Montréal)	514-598-7288
Service budgétaire Lac St-Jean Est	418-668-2148
Service budgétaire et communautaire de Chicoutimi	418-549-7597
Service budgétaire et communautaire de Jonquière	418-542-8638
Service budgétaire et communautaire de Saint-Félicien	418-679-4646
Service budgétaire et communautaire de la MRC Maria-Chapdelaine	418-276-1211
Service budgétaire populaire de La Baie et du Bas-Saguenay	418-544-5611
Service d'aide alimentaire et budgétaire de Charlevoix-Est	418-665-4197
Solutions Budget Plus (Sherbrooke)	819-563-0535