Two California credit unions are honorees of this year’s Desjardins Adult Financial Education Award! Comunidad Latina FCU ($50 – $250 million asset category) and Patelco CU (more than $1 billion) were recently announced as this year’s Credit Union National Association (CUNA) award winners along with several fellow credit unions across the nation.
“Congratulations to this year’s winners for the exemplary work accomplished on behalf of their communities and the members they serve,” said Diana Dykstra, president and CEO of the California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues.
The Desjardins Adult Financial Education Award recognizes leadership within the credit union movement on behalf of financial literacy for members and non-members of all ages. The award, named after credit union pioneer Alphonse Desjardins, emphasizes the movement’s longtime commitment to financial education. The youth version of the award (Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award) honors the same accomplishments.
Each year, CUNA Awards bestow the highest honors to credit unions making a difference, as the soul of the credit union movement means incredible people doing remarkable things. CUNA Awards not only offer recognition for those achievements — they honor credit unions’ desire to make things better for everyone. Named in honor of the movement’s pioneers, these awards represent the spirit of what credit unions are all about.
“These leaders have made it their mission as credit union advocates to promote financial wellbeing,” said Jim Nussle, president and CEO of CUNA. “Each winner has demonstrated a passion in helping others, advancing their communities, and making a difference. I applaud their commitment to the credit union movement.”
Additional awards each year include the Louise Herring Philosophy in Action Award and the Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Award. The Louise Herring award is named for one of the original signers of the 1934 constitution that created CUNA, recognizing credit unions that do an extraordinary job incorporating credit union philosophy into daily operations. Louise Herring started numerous credit unions and believed strongly in applying credit union philosophy as an operating principle. The Dora Maxwell award honors credit union and chapter involvement in community projects and activities. Dora Maxwell was a community activist who committed her life to credit union development, to her community, and to serving the underserved.
CUNA’s National Awards Committee recently announced the 2023 award recipients. State credit union leagues/associations across the nation select winners in various asset sizes, and these state winners are then considered for the national awards. This process helps the awards committee identify credit unions and organizations that demonstrate the credit union difference, as well as the amazing things that come from those local actions and credit union spirit.
