North Star Credit Union has been recognized statewide for its leadership in and commitment to financial education. North Star Credit Union has been honored with a 2020 Desjardins Financial Education Award.
The award, sponsored by the Minnesota Credit Union Network (MnCUN) and the Credit Union National Association (CUNA), recognizes leadership within the credit union movement on behalf of (youth/adult) financial literacy.
The credit union was honored for its Student Education programs, which provides financial education in our local school districts.
“Financially educating our membership is our mission, being able to partner with the schools in our communities to begin that education with the youth group is a privilege,” said Jennifer Stedt, Chief Operating Officer at North Star Credit Union. “Receiving an award for doing what we are passionate about is an honor!”
The North Star Credit Union’s winning entry will advance to the national competition, where it will compete with financial education projects from credit unions in other states.
The award is named in honor of Alphonse Desjardins, the founder of the North American credit union movement, who established the first “caisse populaire” (people’s bank) in Quebec in 1900, and helped establish the first American credit union in New Hampshire in 1909. Desjardins was an ardent believer in the value of teaching children to save, and he promoted the idea of in-school savings programs.