WASHINGTON – NACHA – The Electronic Payments Association has designated this month as National Direct Deposit and Direct Payment Month, and is promoting an educational campaign to market and raise consumers' awareness of direct deposit. According to NACHA data, the number of direct deposits in 2002 increased 4.8% to 3.9 billion payments. The value of these direct deposits was $4.6 trillion, an average of $1,162 per direct deposit. In the commercial sector, the average direct deposit was for $1,257, up 5.3%. To help financial institutions promote direct deposit, NACHA put together sample documents it said can be used for free and customized. Among the items in the resource kit are ample plans, nationally approved message, fact sheets, sample news and press releases, sample newsletter articles, and a sample proclamation. The kit also includes the approved NACHA direct deposit and direct payments logo, along with instructions on how to obtain permission to use the logo. Additional information on National Direct Deposit and Direct Payment Month is available from NACHA at (800) 487-9180 or their Web site, www.nacha.org.