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 our 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,” said Barry Nelson, President, and CEO of Travis Credit Union. "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 these young adults gain insight into higher education and how to access to college. In addition, Travis made it easy for parents and schools to achieve shared objectives of building a financially empowered community by consistently presenting solutions through ready-made programs and modifying education units to fit their specific needs and audience – all while making it fun and engaging.
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,” said CUNA President/CEO Jim Nussle. “Each award recipient represents the spirit of what credit unions are all about – people helping people.”
About Travis Credit Union
Headquartered in Vacaville, California, Travis Credit Union is a not-for-profit cooperative financial institution serving those who live or work in Solano, Yolo, Sacramento, Placer, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Napa, Contra Costa, Alameda, Sonoma, Colusa, and Merced Counties. Currently, Travis Credit Union is the twelfth largest credit union in California with more than 217,000 members and more than $4.2 billion in assets. As a Community Development Financial Institution, we use our collective resources to support those we serve to become self-sufficient and to prosper, including those in our community with limited access to safe and secure financial services. As one of the premier financial institutions in Solano, Contra Costa, Yolo, and Merced Counties, Travis Credit Union’s strength lies in its faithful commitment to its members, its solid, secure history, and its long-standing track record of dedicated service.
About the Desjardins Program
The Credit Union National Association created the Desjardins program to recognize leadership within the credit union movement on behalf of financial literacy for all ages. Naming these awards after Alphonse Desjardins emphasizes the movement's long-time commitment to financial literacy. Besides founding the first credit unions in Canada and the U.S., Desjardins pioneered youth savings clubs and in-school "banks," known as caisses scolaires.