OREANDA-NEWS.  September 26, 2014. Prudential Financial, Inc., (NYSE:PRU) announced an agreement between its Individual Life Insurance and Annuities businesses and the dfree® Financial Freedom Movement to help local Indianans through financial education to help protect their family’s financial future.

This independent community-based financial education program was developed by Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr., senior pastor of the First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, N.J., and creator and founder of dfree.

The announcement, which was made during an event in downtown Indianapolis earlier today, marks the launch of an initiative that aims to educate and empower people to create a healthy financial future for themselves and their loved ones through valuable advice from and engagement with Prudential financial professionals.

“We’re delighted to work with the dfree team because we share a commitment to help Americans better strengthen their personal finances,” said Mark Hug, executive vice president, Product and Marketing, Prudential Individual Life Insurance. “The knowledge we’ve gained about approaching multicultural markets through our research, combined with the efforts of Dr. Soaries’ program makes, will help deepen our relationships in the communities we serve.”

Last year, Prudential announced the findings of its African American Financial Experience survey, one in a series of studies focused on the financial attitudes and behaviors of diverse markets. According to the biennial report, the African American community remains optimistic and continues to demonstrate financial progress, confidence and growing affluence, despite mounting debt and little contact with the financial services industry.

The dfree Financial Freedom Movement offers a training program designed to help individuals improve their financial situation, such as becoming debt-free and take more control of their money.

“The combination of Prudential’s longstanding commitment to diversity, community and financial education coupled with dfree’s grass-roots approach to challenging a culture of debt is poised to help more people achieve financial piece of mind,” said Benjamin Robinson, Chief Administration Officer, Prudential Annuities.

“Prudential’s commitment to the African American community complements the work that dfree is doing as we continue to build upon the number of churches and pastors that offer financial education to their members,” said Dr. Soaries. “We are proud to work with Prudential and value the strength it brings to the communities throughout the U.S.”

In addition to the Indianapolis location, the program will expanded in the DC/Maryland and the New York/New Jersey areas in early 2015. Prudential will also be a leading sponsor of the dfree® third Annual Financial Freedom conference which takes place November 6-8, 2014 at First Baptist of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, N.J.