Two years ago, we launched the CU@Work program, an initiative designed to help employers support their employees in navigating financial challenges. These challenges—ranging from poor credit to lack of savings—often manifest in the workplace as increased healthcare costs, high turnover, absenteeism, and low productivity.
At first, the program offered core financial literacy training through classes like Banking 101, Credit Score and Report Education, Budgeting Strategies, our The First-Time Homebuyer Program, and Investing for Today and Tomorrow: Retirement Planning. These sessions were designed to be approachable, practical, and, most importantly, empowering.
Over time, I've expanded the program’s reach and depth with new workshops, including Identity Theft Education. I've also enhanced our foundational curriculum to provide a more robust and well-rounded experience for participants. I have seen lives change—people opening their first checking accounts, improving their credit scores, and starting to plan for retirement.
Then, in January 2024, a new door opened. After leading a mortgage education class at a public library, I was invited by the City of Glendale to teach financial literacy to 8th-grade students. For me, this was a dream come true. I had reached out to several schools in the past, hoping to offer our classes to younger audiences, but this was the first time a school district had invited us in.
Today, we are wrapping up a 12-school tour across the Glendale Elementary School District, having reached over 1,000 students. It's been an incredibly rewarding experience to witness young minds engage with concepts like budgeting, saving, and credit—skills many adults struggle to learn only later in life. During each session, one of us leads the class while the other supports Spanish-speaking students to ensure every child can participate fully and confidently.
Looking ahead, I’m more committed than ever to expanding our community outreach. We already have two more schools lined up for September, and we’ll be returning to Glendale School District 40 to replicate this year’s program with the 2025 8th-grade class. My hope is that this work plants the seeds of financial confidence and competence that will serve these students for a lifetime.
