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There was one common denominator in the group of nearly 100 people gathered at Max Hasse Community Park in Golden Gate on Thursday evening.

It wasn’t race, age, or gender. It wasn’t salary or profession.

Scores of local residents facing foreclosure attended the first “Save Your Home” Workshop, conducted by the recently formed Collier County Foreclosure Task Force, to learn the about the foreclosure process and the options available for people who face losing their homes.

A panel of a dozen Naples and Fort Myers attorneys, Legal Aid staff, and credit counselors volunteered two hours to brief the audience on the terminology and timeline of foreclosure, and possible solutions.

The workshop is the start of a series of events throughout the summer to prevent some foreclosures, and how to deal with the ones underway.

The goal is also to give hope to stressed families that may not know where they will be living six months from now.

“Until or unless a foreclosure is entered, it’s never too late to get help,” said Kelley Price, a commercial litigation attorney who volunteers on the task force. “The longer you wait, the harder it is to address. But it’s not impossible. It’s just easier and cheap before litigation.”

Many attendees came with spouses and children to the event. Some declined to give their names. Many had similar stories

Couples lost their jobs.

Families were forced to commute to work hours away. Others remained unemployed. Faced with imminent foreclosure homeowners flocked to the workshop to find a solution — even the hint of one.

They left with numbers for credit counselors and for Legal Aid — two resources they were unaware of before the event.

“It’s important for people to get an evaluation,” says Celia Deifik, a Naples attorney and task force volunteer. “They either have to fight to save their homes, or find an exit strategy and start over.”

Deifik explained that “exit strategies” can include permitting foreclosure or declaring bankruptcy.

Upcoming events will be held on June 21 and July 12.

Information on future educational and counseling sessions can be found at the Task Force’s website, foreclosuretaskforce.blogspot.com. To attend the events, contact Legal Aid at 239-775-4555.

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E-mail Victoria Macchi at vmmacchi@gmail.com