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Steve Sharpe, an attorney with the Legal Aid Society of Southwest Ohio, talks to Manilath Southammavong (left) and Cornelius McGrady from the Ohio Treasurer's Office during Borrower Outreach Day on Tuesday, Aug. 19, at the Butler Tech Public Safety Education Complex in Liberty Twp.Click to enlarge

LIBERTY TWP. — Middletown resident Jared Wills isn't in financial straits, but "It's like every month I get a little bit closer," he said.

Wills isn't alone. So many local people are facing financial hardship that Butler County Treasurer Nancy Nix with and the state offered a Borrower Outreach Day on Tuesday, Aug. 19.

The event brought debtors face-to-face with seven national lenders and offered classes in avoiding foreclosure, fixing credit and debtor rights.

Wills said he was surprised to learn how many programs are available for people falling into debt trouble.

Consumer Credit Counseling Service, for example, offers foreclosure counseling. Mary Hurlburt, director of community outreach for CCCS, said she advises people to contact their lender at the first sign of financial trouble. Too many people, she said, don't even talk to their lender until they're in foreclosure.

And if the lender won't listen, which sometimes happens, Hurlburt says agencies like hers can work on the borrower's behalf to negotiate a solution.

Nelson Hutchings of Fairfield fell behind on house payments when he had unexpected heart surgery. He said Cleveland-based Empowering and Strengthening Ohio's People was helping him at the event.

"I got more help than I had before I came over here," he said. "I'm just trying to understand the process to get out of this mess."

Government officials also were on hand to help, including representatives from the Supreme Court of Ohio who gave a presentation on foreclosure mediation, an option debtors can ask of the judges in Butler County foreclosure hearings.

Ohio Attorney General staff warned people to beware of "rescue scams" that charge people high prices for the same credit services available for free through nonprofits.

But help isn't limited to the 100-or-so people who attended Tuesday's event. Nix said anyone can learn about available services by calling her office at (513) 887-3181 or visiting her office's Web site, www.butlercountytreasurer.org.