BOWLING GREEN, Mo. — North East Community Action Corporation (NECAC) Homeownership Programs Director Cheryl-Ann Phillips has successfully completed USDA 502 Loan Packaging Certification Training. The weeklong program is a USDA requirement and was administered online by Rural Community Assistance Corporation of Sacramento, Ca. The certification included instruction about calculating eligibility, acceptable deductions and property requirements. “The most important thing I learned is that the deductions can help people become income-eligible,” Phillips said. “People may think they don’t qualify for the 502 loan program, but with deductions they may be eligible.” Phillips received an associate’s degree from Community College of Aurora, Co., and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Columbia College of St. Louis. She previously worked 20 years for Charter Communications, starting as an executive secretary and finishing as a system administrator in finance. Phillips joined NECAC as an administrative assistant in the Housing Development Department in 2017 and was promoted to her current position in 2020.