Travis Credit Union wins Desjardins Youth Financial Education award

Travis Credit Union has received national recognition for its outstanding financial education efforts to empower communities through financial literacy. The Credit Union National Association (CUNA) announced on Nov. 2, that the credit union earned First Place as the nationwide winner of the Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award.

The recognition follows Travis’s first-place state level Desjardins Financial Education awards, for both youth and adult categories, commending the credit union’s commitment to foster financial inclusion of military, veterans and economically disadvantaged youth.

“We’re honored to be recognized for our commitment to educating our members and communities about personal finance and preparing them for a stronger and brighter future,” Barry Nelson, president and CEO of Travis Credit Union said. “Throughout our 70-year history, we’ve built a reputation on providing financial education and financial literacy to all people, regardless of socio-economic status or background. This recognition highlights our commitment to changing lives and uplifting communities through financial wellness.”

In the Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award category, Travis Credit Union was honored for providing outgoing support to foster youth through programs like Life after High School and The Financial Education Forum. The workshops are designed to help young adults gain insight into higher education and how to access college.

In response to the pandemic, TCU reinvented programs and adopted a fully virtual setting to continue to meet the financial education needs of high-school students. In partnership with local school districts, TCU created the virtual Back to School Challenge — a four-week online challenge during the summer of 2020 that provided teens the opportunity to learn about managing money while at home through online activities.

TCU also converted its Mad City Money program to be fully digital, providing high-school students with a realistic simulation of financial situations that help them better understand how to manage money in the real world. Over 6,000 students have benefited from Travis Credit Union’s Mad City Money initiative since it started in 2009.

The credit union also partnered with organizations such as First 5 and Children’s Inc. to offer a financial education series for parents, teaching them how they can build their child’s money management skills.

“Congratulations to the 2021 award winners for their outstanding accomplishments. We celebrate the work that each institution has done to promote financial wellbeing within their respective communities,” CUNA President and CEO, Jim Nussle, said. “Each award recipient represents the spirit of what credit unions are all about — people helping people.”