With the aim at bettering conditions for women in a frontier town of 37,000 inhabitants, 200 local church women and local dignitaries organized the YWCA El Paso 100 years ago.  Chartered in 1909, the YWCA has fostered many opportunities for the advancement of women and the entire community.  In 1986, the YWCA El Paso Del Norte Region formalized its community financial education program by joining the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) under the trademark name of Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS).  In 1995, the YWCA-CCCS certified as a HUD housing counseling agency.  In 2005, the YWCA-CCCS established a credit and housing counseling office in Las Cruces, New Mexico.  The YWCA Consumer Credit Counseling Service employs only NFCC-certified credit counselors and NeighborWorks Training Institute certified housing counselors, and is accredited through the Council on Accreditation (COA).

Economic empowerment of women and girls is a hallmark program of the YWCA, and since sound money management skills help empower women and girls, the YWCA offers the Consumer Credit Counseling Service program to the El Paso community.  CCCS assists individuals and families who are in financial crisis by working with their creditors to develop a plan to pay off debt and live a cash-based lifestyle.  Confidential credit counseling services are available in person, or by phone, or by Internet.

CCCS also offers money management education classes on a variety of topics.  "Credit When Credit is Due" is one of these offerings.  A nationally recognized education curriculum, taking and applying the principles learned in "Credit When Credit is Due" has been proven to improve credit scores.

Another component of Consumer Credit Counseling Service, the Home Ownership Center offers first time Homebuyer Education seminars and counseling for individuals and families interested home ownership.  The Center also provides free counseling for families at risk of foreclosure or eviction.