Cornerstone announces national award winners

Credit unions recognized for social responsibility/community service, financial education, and philosophy-in-action member service.

The Cornerstone Credit Union League has selected winners from across the region for the Credit Union National Association’s Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award, Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award, Desjardins Adult Financial Education Award, and Louise Herring Philosophy in Action Member Service Award. The awards will be presented at the 2020 Annual Meeting & Expo Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, April 15. Watch for registration, which is opening soon.

Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award
The Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award is given to a credit union for its social responsibility projects within the community. The first-place winners from the Cornerstone region are:

• Oklahoma Central Credit Union, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  $250 million–$1 billion in assets
  
  Christmas Gifts for Children of Domestic Violence Intervention Services
  Oklahoma Central CU selected Domestic Violence Intervention Services (DVIS) as the focus of its annual enterprisewide “give back” project, “Gifts for Kids.” Because many of the women at the shelter come with just the clothes on their backs, Oklahoma Central CU employees decided to provide gifts—in the form of new clothes—for each child living at DVIS. Employees not only donated new shirts, pants, socks, dresses, shoes, and winter coats for the children at the shelter, but they also provided DVIS with clothes and shoes for new children entering the shelter.

• Tinker Federal Credit Union, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  More than $1 billion in assets
  
  Oklahoma Literacy Coalition Partnership
  For more than 10 years, Tinker Federal Credit Union has partnered with the Oklahoma Literacy Coalition to support its efforts around the state. In 2018, Tinker FCU donated more than $117,000 through membership donations, scholarships, grants, and other activities. The money that TFCU donated is then distributed throughout counties for program activities or is granted to individual areas. Part of TFCU’s focus is to aid in making people financially literate, and that begins with literacy efforts.

Desjardins Financial Education Awards
The Credit Union Nation Association created the Desjardins program to recognize leadership within the credit union movement on behalf of financial literacy for all ages.

Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award
The first-place winners are:

• First Family Federal Credit Union, Henryetta, Oklahoma
  $50–$250 million in assets
  
  Budget or Bust
  Geared toward children ages 10-14, the “Budget or Bust” program focused on the differences of needs versus wants, the importance of adapting savings habits, and budgeting. During the presentation, Family First FCU employees encouraged students to ask questions and answer questions aloud to earn “money” for a vacation budget project. The kids chose a destination, accommodations, what to eat, and what activities they would do. Each option had a realistic cost, but the kids’ budgets only consisted of the money they earned during class. The students also learned that their budgets change when unexpected things happen, such as a flat tire or a lost wallet.

• Oklahoma Central Credit Union, Tulsa, Oklahoma,
  $250 million–$1 billion in assets
  
  Financial Wellness - Community Education
  For its Youth Financial Literacy Program, Oklahoma Central Credit Union chose to work with underserved communities, providing the “It’s a Money Thing” curriculum, which has been tested by the Filene Institute. The credit union worked with organizations that serve the underserved, like the West Mabee Boys and Girls Club that serves kids living in poverty and the Domestic Violence Intervention Services (DVIS) that offers services to women and their children displaced from their homes due to domestic violence.

• Tinker Federal Credit Union, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  More than $1 billion in assets
  
  Tinker Air Force Base Youth Center
  The Tinker Air Force Base (TAFB) Youth Center offers a variety of educational, social, recreational, and physical programs for children ages 3-18 years who are dependents of active duty military, retirees, DoD civilians, and contractors. Tinker Federal Credit Union (TFCU) partnered with the TAFB Youth Center to provide financial education workshops to preteens, teaching them how to create a family budget and how their decisions impact their ability to live the life they want. TFCU presented the workshops in conjunction with Military Saves Week.

The second-place winner of the Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award is:

• Red River Credit Union, Texarkana, Texas
  $250 million–$1 billion in assets
  
  Join a Bank? Not Today.
  Red River Credit Union partnered with schools and buildt contacts within the school administration. Through these relationships, Red River CU worked with 23 schools, including 11 different school districts and two home school groups, to deliver its Financial Literacy Program for each grade level. The program was presented at nine high schools, six middle schools, and eight elementary schools. As part of the partnership, the credit union provided a small gift for the students and teachers, STAAR snacks for the first-year testers, and professional development for teachers.

Desjardins Adult Financial Education Award
The first-place winner is:

• Tinker Federal Credit Union, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  More than $1 billion in assets
  
  Hispanic Chamber Women's Business Center—Finances for Small Business Owners
  The Hispanic Chamber Women's Business Center (HCWBC) provides business development and support for women entrepreneurs from underrepresented groups. Tinker Federal Credit Union (TFCU) partnered with HCWBC to provide classes on “Finances for Small Business Owners” and kicked off the first classes for the center. TFCU’s bilingual financial educator Giovanni Monterroso presented classes to Hispanic women entrepreneurs twice a week for two hours each. The classes were so well received that the center opened up an additional class.

Louise Herring Philosophy-in-Action Member Service Award
The Louise Herring Philosophy-in-Action Member Service Award is given to a credit union for its practical application of the credit union philosophy within the actual operation of the credit union. It is awarded for internal programs and services that benefit members.

The first-place winner is:

• Patterson Federal Credit Union, Arkadelphia, Arkansas
  Less than $50 million in assets
  
  Everyday Hero Account
  Patterson Federal Credit Union developed its Everyday Hero Account to thank its local educators, first responders, veterans and active military, and those in the health care field. This program offers a free checking account with additional perks, including a loan interest rate reduction, one free skip-a-pay per year, an interest rate bump on share certificates, and a free debit card. In addition to creating this account, Patterson FCU has focused much of its volunteer work and sponsorship funds to support these groups.

For more information on these national awards, visit Cornerstone’s website.