PLEASANTON, Calif.– Patelco Credit Union earned three awards at the California state level from CUNA, including first place for the Desjardins Adult Financial Education Award, first place for the Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award and first place for the Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Award programs for credit unions with more than $1 billion in assets.
“Our promise to Patelco members is to work tirelessly to help them manage their day-to-day financial lives, to be resilient to life’s ups and downs, to seize opportunities to strengthen their financial future and to ultimately help them achieve financial freedom,” said Erin Mendez, CEO of Patelco Credit Union. “The Desjardins awards and the Dora Maxwell Award reflect Patelco’s commitment to that promise and we could not be more proud of our employees who are making such a marked difference in the communities we serve.”
Desjardins Financial Education Awards
Through Patelco’s community financial education program, Patelco won both the youth and adult categories for its work in educating a variety of publics from college students, homeless adults, K-12 students as well as employees of nearby government and business organizations. The program provides engaging instructors and content that makes financial well-being a relatable and empathetic topic for all types of citizens.
The judges, from the Mountain West Credit Union Association, extolled the thoughtfulness and effort Patelco has put into financial education, noting, “a high level of passion and organization” and its ability in, “making education sessions captivating, energetic and positive.”
Dora Maxwell Award
Patelco earned top prize for the Dora Maxwell Award through its Pay it Forward campaign, tied to the credit union’s 80th anniversary celebration last year. Each of Patelco’s 700 employees was provided the opportunity to pay it forward $80 to the non-profit of their respective choosing. In the end, employees donated more than $50,000 in support of more than 40 non-profits, impacting children’s health, housing, hunger and financial literacy.
The judges expressed delight in how Patelco implemented the Pay it Forward campaign, highlighting the “unique way to get everyone involved in giving back in ways they may had never considered.”