LOWELL MA� Jeanne DArc Credit Union is pleased to announce that the winners of its innovative MoneyStrong For Life Challenge are Angelo Poulopoulos and Elaine Vejar of Lowell. During the nine-month contest, the Vejar and Poulopoulos family reduced their spending and debt, increased their savings, and improved their credit score!
"We are thrilled to reward the Vejar and Poulopoulos family as well as the two other participating families, all of whom worked diligently to improve their credit score, pay down debt, and increase their savings," said Mark S. Cochran, President and Chief Executive Officer of Jeanne DArc Credit Union. "The challenge taught them good financial habits that will prove beneficial for the rest of their lives."
As the winning family, Elaine and Angelo were awarded $7,500 by Jeanne DArc Credit Union. The two other participating families the Lessieurs of Lowell and the Vaillancourts of Plaistow, N.H. were both awarded $2,500 for their efforts. All three families emerged as winners in that they have all significantly improved their financial positions over the past nine months. Today, they have less debt, better control of their spending, and more savings.
Angelo Poulopoulos and Elaine Vejar both hold college degrees. Elaine works full-time and Angelo is self-employed while he continues to search for a full-time position. When they started the challenge, the married couple faced high student loan bills, excessive credit card payments, had virtually no savings, and their monthly spending exceeded their income. They received financial coaching throughout the challenge from Jeanne DArc Credit Unions Senior Loan Officer Kara Doyle and Vice President-Branch Administration Kathryn Dame. Nine months later, Angelo and Elaine pay all bills on time, reduced their debt by $10,000, and have significantly reduced their annual expenses. By accepting that they needed help and remaining completely engaged in the challenge, the couple turned their financial situation around and has truly become "MoneyStrong."
To read more about the families efforts, please visit
http://moneystrong.org/challenge/. Here you will find the families biographies, blog entries, and other information.
Photo (From left): Jeanne DArc Credit Union President and Chief Executive Officer Mark S. Cochran, Vice President-Branch Administration Kathryn Dame, MoneyStrong For Life Challenge winners Angelo Poulopoulos and Elaine Vejar, and Senior Loan Officer Kara Doyle.
About Jeanne DArc Credit Union:
Jeanne DArc Credit Union was established in 1912 and is a full-service, member-owned community-based financial cooperative with more than 60,000 members and more than $1 billion in assets. It operates six full-service branches in Lowell, Dracut (2), Tyngsboro, Chelmsford and Methuen, Massachusetts; two high-school branches at Lowell High and Dracut High schools; a loan center in Lowell and a mortgage center in Chelmsford.
LOWELL MA� Jeanne DArc Credit Union is pleased to announce that the winners of its innovative MoneyStrong For Life Challenge are Angelo Poulopoulos and Elaine Vejar of Lowell. During the nine-month contest, the Vejar and Poulopoulos family reduced their spending and debt, increased their savings, and improved their credit score!
"We are thrilled to reward the Vejar and Poulopoulos family as well as the two other participating families, all of whom worked diligently to improve their credit score, pay down debt, and increase their savings," said Mark S. Cochran, President and Chief Executive Officer of Jeanne DArc Credit Union. "The challenge taught them good financial habits that will prove beneficial for the rest of their lives."
As the winning family, Elaine and Angelo were awarded $7,500 by Jeanne DArc Credit Union. The two other participating families the Lessieurs of Lowell and the Vaillancourts of Plaistow, N.H. were both awarded $2,500 for their efforts. All three families emerged as winners in that they have all significantly improved their financial positions over the past nine months. Today, they have less debt, better control of their spending, and more savings.
Angelo Poulopoulos and Elaine Vejar both hold college degrees. Elaine works full-time and Angelo is self-employed while he continues to search for a full-time position. When they started the challenge, the married couple faced high student loan bills, excessive credit card payments, had virtually no savings, and their monthly spending exceeded their income. They received financial coaching throughout the challenge from Jeanne DArc Credit Unions Senior Loan Officer Kara Doyle and Vice President-Branch Administration Kathryn Dame. Nine months later, Angelo and Elaine pay all bills on time, reduced their debt by $10,000, and have significantly reduced their annual expenses. By accepting that they needed help and remaining completely engaged in the challenge, the couple turned their financial situation around and has truly become "MoneyStrong."
To read more about the families efforts, please visit http://moneystrong.org/challenge/. Here you will find the families biographies, blog entries, and other information.
Photo (From left): Jeanne DArc Credit Union President and Chief Executive Officer Mark S. Cochran, Vice President-Branch Administration Kathryn Dame, MoneyStrong For Life Challenge winners Angelo Poulopoulos and Elaine Vejar, and Senior Loan Officer Kara Doyle.
About Jeanne DArc Credit Union:
Jeanne DArc Credit Union was established in 1912 and is a full-service, member-owned community-based financial cooperative with more than 60,000 members and more than $1 billion in assets. It operates six full-service branches in Lowell, Dracut (2), Tyngsboro, Chelmsford and Methuen, Massachusetts; two high-school branches at Lowell High and Dracut High schools; a loan center in Lowell and a mortgage center in Chelmsford.