C R E D I T U N I O N N EWS
BOB ANDRADE RECEIVES AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE AT GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS DAY At the Credit Union Association of Rhode Island’s (Association) Annual Governmental Affairs day on January, 24, Association Chairman Ellen Ford, president of People’s Credit Union, Middleton, RI, made a special presentation to Bob Andrade, executive vice president of Pawtucket Credit Union, Pawtucket, RI, and a long-time member of the association’s board of directors. The Association’s Governmental Affairs event is an occasion at which members of the Rhode Island credit union community meet with members of Rhode Island’s legislative community to get to know one another and each other’s views on an informal basis. This event has regularly attracted numerous lawmakers and political leaders. This year, that included Gov. Lincoln Chafee and Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts. In making the presentation, Ford said, “For the past 15 years, Bob Andrade has been a driving force behind the de-
velopment of a dynamic approach to political activism in the Rhode Island credit union community. His conviction that the credit union community must invest in the future by staying engaged with lawmakers and the political process is evident in his efforts, whether at the State House or in the Halls of Congress.” Among the many accomplishments that the award recognizes is the fact that, for the past 15 years, through Bob’s efforts, the Credit Union Association of Rhode Island has surpassed its fundraising goals for the Credit Union Legislative Action Council, the federal political action committee for the Credit Union National Association. The award, which was awarded for the first time and which will be awarded periodically when an individual exhibits outstanding leadership in Rhode Island credit union political action, was also named in honor of Andrade. •
Local Credit Unions make Financial literacy their Mission Continued from page 7
educating New Hampshire school children on basic financial literacy through the CU 4 Reality™ Financial Education Program – in part, with Financial Literacy Month events. The goal of the CU 4 Reality™ Financial Education Program is to teach students the basics of spending, budgeting, credit and savings, with the use of a classroom guide, that can be tailored to educate elementary, middle, and high school aged students. The goal is to establish good financial habits at a young age – habits that will last and benefit them for a life time,” said Peggy Powell, executive director of America’s Credit Union Museum. The curriculums’ culmination is the CU 4 Reality™ Financial Education Fair. The CU 4 Reality™ Financial Education Fair itself is a group event in which the students choose a fictitious ‘financial life’ (a job and an income) and they must determine how they are going to budget for needs and wants. “Tough choices have to be made,” stressed Powell. In April alone approximately 1,700 students from the following communities – Londonderry, Portsmouth, Nashua, Derry, Concord, Berlin, 8 | centerpoint | summer 2013
Gorham, and Manchester participated in CU 4 Reality™ Financial Education Fairs. For 2013, the NHCUL predicts that more than 4,500 students will be reached via 35 participating schools. RHODE ISLAND CREDIT UNIONS MAKE EDUCATING YOUTH A PRIORITY The credit unions of Rhode Island embrace the idea of providing financial education to the state’s youth in a big way. Westerly Community Credit Union and People’s Credit Union have gotten behind the Rhode Island Financial Scholar Program which uses the EverFi online learning system. These credit unions have worked with local school districts to implement it in communities that they serve. The platform is aligned to state standards and consists of 10 modules covering critical financial literacy topics such as budgeting, credit health/scores, insurance, student loans, mortgages, taxes, and saving and investing. “Educating today’s youth on financial literacy is a priority at People’s Credit Union.
It’s extremely important to learn the value of money at a young age and we are happy to provide a program that can do that,” commented Ellen Ford, People’s president & CEO. Other credit unions are using the CU4Reality™ program to provide students with a dose of “real life.” Dexter Credit Union held a fair that attracted 70 students and provided a robust financial learning experience. Pawtucket Credit Union’s 10th Annual Real World Day was put together with the help of a number of partners: Money Management International, Andrews Nationwide Insurance, RI Housing, URI Continuing Ed., United Way of RI, Secretary of State’s office, Gabriel Martinez, Joe Walecjko, Sandy Smith, and NRIT. Over 500 students that participated from the following schools: Barrington, Bishop Feehan, Central, Cranston (East and West), Davies, East Greenwich, Lincoln School, North Providence, Pilgrim, Shea, Toll Gate, Tolman, and Warwick Vets! Plus Providence, Northern RI, and RI Transition Academies! •