Scott Credit Union garnered awards in four categories of the Illinois Credit Union Leagues annual state-wide awards competition.
The�credit union won the top prize in a category focused on financial education and won second place and honorable mention awards for categories highlighting philosophy in action, community involvement and for youth financial education programs.
Scott Credit Union won the first place award in the $250 million to $1 billion asset categories for its Take The Pledge campaign that aims to help adults learn how to become more financially fit. The year-long program encourages SCU members to create and follow a budget and encourages them to attend free financial education seminars offered at the local credit union.
Scott Credit Union also received recognition for its youth education presentation at Collinsville High School, its Gas Buy Down program in Millstadt and its People Helping People gift cards which encourage people in the community to "pay it forward" when they receive a gift card from credit union employees.
"We are very proud of the work we have done to give back to the community and schools, as well as what we have done to provide financial education for both youth and adults," said Scott Credit Union Community Relations Supervisor Ashleigh Deatherage. "It is nice to be recognized with the awards, but the real happiness comes with knowing that we are able to help people. Credit unions are built on a People Helping People foundation and these awards really showcase our dedication to that philosophy."
Scott Credit Unions first place Desjardins Adult Financial Education Award was for its efforts to provide adults with financial education through its Take The Pledge Campaign. The year-long effort encourages members to set and track their budget as well as attend free financial education seminars.� "We really got a great response to the program in its first year," Deatherage said. "We are very pleased with the interest to learn more about how to be financially successful. The program culminates with one participant getting a boost to their savings with a $1,000 certificate prize."
SCU also won second place awards for its Gas Buy Down in Millstadt and its People Helping People Gift Card program.� "For the gas buy down, we basically reduced the cost of gas to $1 per gallon for a two-hour period to help people in the community," Deatherage noted. "When gas prices were pushing $4 per gallon, our goal was to help as many people in the community as possible. We limited it to up to 15 gallons per person. We had people lined up around the block. It was very nice to be able to help people in a community in which we have a location."
Scott Credit Unions People Helping People program sent credit union employees into the community to perform random acts of kindness for area residents and then ask them to pay it forward.� "Our employees would do things like cover a persons meal at a restaurant and then give them a $10 gift card and ask them to pay it forward to someone who could use the help," Deatherage explained. "We really wanted to encourage people to help others. The response was great. We even had some people post on our Facebook page what they did to pay it forward."
Scott Credit Union has made giving back to its communities a major priority. The local credit union contributed more than $275,000 and its employees volunteered more than 2,300 hours to a variety of local civic efforts throughout the region in 2012.� "We realize that without our members and the communities in which we serve, we would not exist as a financial alternative," Deatherage said. "That is why it is so important for us to give back and support the communities in which we have locations."
The credit union has increased its community involvement in the past few years while also increasing its efforts to educate consumers of the value of doing their financial business with a not-for-profit credit union.� "Conducting financial business with a credit union saves the consumer real money," said Scott Credit Union President & CEO Frank Padak. "Many credit unions, like Scott Credit Union, offer similar products and services to what the conventional financial institutions have, but we do so with our members best interest in mind. Plus, we really care about the community and we are committed to supporting local efforts through contributions and volunteerism."
