Editor’s note: This is the first article in a four-part series featuring the credit union initiatives selected by the Cornerstone League for the Credit Union National Association’s national awards.
Cornerstone selected Tinker Federal Credit Union and Education Credit Union as the first-place winners of CUNA’s Desjardins Adult Financial Education Award, while GECU took second place. This award recognizes leadership with the credit union on behalf of financial literacy. Following are descriptions of their outstanding financial education programs.
Oklahoma City, Okla. More than $1 billion in assets
Giovanni Monterroso, TFCU financial educator, teaches on-site at the Department of Housing for the Muscogee Creek Nation in Okmulgee, Okla.
Department of Housing—Muscogee Creek Nation—TFCU Financial Education Workshops
Tinker Federal Credit Union (TFCU) partnered with the Muscogee Creek Nation (MCN) Department of Housing, a self-governed Native American
tribe located in Oklahoma, to provide financial resources. The MCN tribal members face challenges obtaining financial resources and education in rural areas. There is also an issue of many of their citizens being unbanked or underbanked.
The TFCU partnership helped bridge that gap by providing in-person, easy-to-understand financial education classes at the tribal members’ location, helping them understand how to apply and open an account and providing individual attention. During
July, September, and November, TFCU staff provided 15 financial education classes, reaching 93 individuals, and helping 10 tribal members open accounts with TFCU.
Amarillo, Texas $250 million–$1 billion assets
Pictured is an ad promoting Education Credit Union’s Emergency Savings Account Challenge.
ECU’s Smart Money Financial Education
Education Credit Union (ECU) provides adult financial education to diverse audiences. Credit union staff teaches the public, members, the less advantaged, teachers, college students,
and students aging out of youth facilities. Classes are conducted via ECU’s website, Facebook page, and email.
Following are a few examples of ECU’s Smart Money Financial Education program:
El Paso, Texas More than $1 billion in assets
Pictured is an example of the marketing materials used to promote GECU’s ImagineU online video platform.
GECU Financial Education 2019
GECU provides the El Paso, Texas, community with free financial education, addressing a variety of financial topics through different formats. Topics include basic budgeting skills, saving for higher education, homeownership, investment basics, and estate planning. Located in a border town, GECU offers many of its seminars in Spanish to benefit everyone in its community.
GECU staff provided in-person community financial literacy to more than 34,950 individuals. Through the credit union’s initiatives:
Credit union young professionals have access to a program dedicated to help you engage, empower, and create an impact.