WASHINGTON–In sharing how credit unions show “heart,” one person here shared both a personal story and pointed to a program one credit union has in place.
Speaking to Mitchell Stankovic’s “Underground: Shattered” meeting here, in a session moderated by Maria Martinez, president/CEO with Border FCU, Enrique Delgadillo, the president and CEO of BALANCE shared the news that his own wife had passed away from cancer just six months ago, and while he was uncertain whether he would be able to participate as a panelist in the discussion, he felt the subject matter was so important he wanted to share a message.
‘Message is Too Important’
“Honestly, I wanted to bow out. I didn't I didn't think I could convey what needed to be said,” Delgadillo told the event, held just prior to CUNA’s GAC. “But the message is too important. I read recently that 77% of Americans have financial anxiety, and that includes your team members, that includes members, and even if things are going well and you don't have financial anxiety, being thrown into a situation that I'm in now changes everything.”
To that end, Delgadillo said he wanted to highlight a program in place at Suncoast Credit Union in Tampa called the “Smart Money Challenge,” in which Suncoast employees are challenged to go through a series of things to build a credit report, to build savings, and to pay down debt.
“It puts them in a better position to be able to handle members they are going to see,” he explained.
A Changed Life
Delgadillo said one Suncoast CU employee went through the challenge and boosted her credit score by 37 points, was able to build savings of more than $4,500 and pay down debt.
“She said it has changed her life and she can now help members and family and friends,” Delgadillo said. “She's breaking away from that 77% and is going to be in a better position to help those who are struggling. If it was me, that's a credit union that I want to walk into I want to be able to walk into to meet with someone that understands and who can meet me where I'm at, especially from an empathy standpoint.”