ALEXANDRIA, Va.—As part of America Saves Week, several credit unions have announced plans to help enlisted personnel win the battle with personal finance.
Pentagon FCU is joining with the military and other organizations to urge its employees and members to “Take the Pledge” to make their financial condition a priority—and offering a $1,000 prize, as well.
The Military Saves Week 2015 campaign event runs February 23-28 and is dedicated to motivating all military service members, retirees, and family members to evaluate and set goals for savings, take stock, and then take the Military Saves Pledge.
“The concept is very simple. Pay yourself first. Even if you start small, think big,” said James Schenck, president and CEO of PenFed.
Military Saves is managed by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA).
PenFed is sponsoring a Video Contest Cash Giveaway through March 31 in which members and non-members can share their reasons for taking the pledge and then submit video entries that share what they are saving for.
Members may also participate in the contest judging by voting on their favorites—once a day, every day through March 31.The top 10 videos with the most votes will then be judged by a select group of employees at PenFed. The winner will be awarded $1,000 in cash.
Also participating in Military Saves Week is Vantage West Credit Union in Tucson, Ariz., which is encouraging military families in the Tucson area to start small and think big when it comes to saving. The credit union is facilitating a trio of workshops at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Feb. 23-28, invoking the national campaign mantra of “Start Small. Think Big.”
“From the start, Vantage West has had a commitment to Southern Arizona’s military community, and facilitating these financial readiness workshops is an extension of that commitment,” said CEO Robert D. Ramirez in a statement.
The workshops that financial representatives from Vantage West and officials from the Airman & Family Readiness Center will present include: one that employs technology in an older youth-geared workshop, utilizing BizKids, a shopping experience game for younger, school-aged children and a 90-minute workshop that focuses on building a secure financial future.