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2nd Annual dFreeŽ Conference Works to Help Pastors and Community Leaders to 'Get Their Financial House' in Order

Acclaimed Pastor Dr. DeForest B. Soaries Leads An All-Star Financial Empowerment Conference, With Special Session for Pastors, Church and Community Leaders, on October 31, 2013

Contact: Brianna Smallwood, 732-828-2009

NEW YORK, Oct. 25, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- Former New Jersey Secretary of State and acclaimed Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church, Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr., will lead his 2nd Annual dFree® Conference dedicated to leading people, families and communities out of debt to attain financial independence on Thursday, October 31 - Saturday, November 2, 2013 at the First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, New Jersey. Founder of BET and Chairman and Founder of RLJ Companies, Robert L. Johnson, will headline an all-star cast of financial empowerment speakers, along with informative seminars, on how to strategically pay off debt and achieve financial freedom.

"We are extremely excited to present our second year of this powerful conference and have a full day for Pastors, Church and Community leaders that is devoted to achieving better fiscal management, unlocking the chains of consumer debt and ultimately changing lives for the better," said Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr. "With one in four African-Americans feeling anxiety or depression as a result of debt, our conference will work to help Pastors and community leaders assist their flock in getting started, getting control and getting ahead of their financial management. Once they achieve that, they will then have the ability to give back. And, that is truly where a wealth mindset begins."

dFree® is a lifestyle movement with the emphasis on the elimination of debt and addresses the root causes of chronic indebtedness. dFree® approach confronts the emotional, psychological and spiritual causes of debt. dFree® stands for freedom from debt, delinquency, deficits and freedom to make deposits to savings, earn dividends and possess deeds that represent ownership. To date, the dFree® program has already launched in numerous African American churches across the U.S. with the goal to help 125,000 people pay off $1 billion in debt in three years.

The 2nd Annual dfree® Conference is a three-day event devoted to presenting forward thinking seminars, training and expert panel discussions all rooted in the timeless financial tools developed by Dr. Soaries which include, dfree® Breaking Free from Financial Slavery and dfree lifestyle, 12 steps to Financial Freedom. In addition to featuring Robert L. Johnson, as a Special Keynote presenter, other speakers include, Thasunda Brown Duckett, CEO of Auto Finance and Student Loans for JPMorgan Chase; Marcia Griffin, President of HomeFree-USA; Rev. Timothy Winters, Pastor Emeritus for Bayview Baptist Church; Charles Corpening, Chairman of Joshua Partners and Dee Marshall, Founder of Girlfriends Pray and Dee Marshall, etc. Topics covered in the seminars will include- Debt Reduction, Housing, Insurance, Investment Planning, Legal Matters and Student Loans. A Vendor and Sponsor Trade Show will be incorporated and an evening concert featuring Fred Hammond and Vy Higgensen's Gospel for Teens Choir will round out the conference. Corporate Sponsors for the 2nd Annual dfree® Conference are Prudential, Chase and Merrill Lynch.

General Registration for the 2nd Annual dFree® Conference is $45.00. An all-inclusive registration package of $60.00 is available for Pastors, Church and Community Leaders. This package comes with an extra day of the conference on October 31 and includes the "Getting Your House in Order: Financial Planning for Pastors," along with sessions on how to form community development corporations and more. This three-day package includes the Leadership Dinner, conference materials, continental breakfast and lunch. For more information on registration, along with hotel and travel accommodations, contact DeSane and Associates at 201.342.0909 or via -mail at info@mydfree.org.

For more information on the 2nd Annual dFree® Conference, visit mydfree.org.

About Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr.: Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr. is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in New Jersey and author of DFree®: Breaking Free from Financial Slavery. His DFree®: strategy is designed to lead people out of debt to attain financial independence. His strategy was the focus of CNN's "Almighty Debt" documentary. In 2012, Dr. Soaries was listed on the Annual "Power 100" List by Ebony Magazine, which identifies the most influential African Americans in the country. He is a frequent blogger and contributor to various periodicals and media. His work has been featured in several publications including, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Ebony Magazine, Black Enterprise, Church Executive and Government Executive Magazine. Dr. Soaries is former New Jersey Secretary of State. Recently, Soaries announced the Billion Dollar Challenge, a campaign challenging people to pay off $1 billion in debt. Participants can track their progress online at www.billiondollarpaydown.com.