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JetStream FCU joins the few financial institutions nationwide to achieve Full-Staff Financial Counseling Certification
MIAMI LAKES, FL (October 1, 2014) — To serve its membership at every possible touchpoint, JetStream Federal Credit Union ($163 million; 20,126 members; Miami Lakes, FL) has become the first financial institution serving both South Florida and Puerto Rico to certify its entire staff in the Community Development Certified Financial Counseling (CDCFC) training program – certified by the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA). Essential for credit unions serving moderate-to-low-income populations, the CDCFC training, testing, and certification ensures credit unions like JetStream can better serve their members who may experience financial challenges. JetStream joins the very few credit unions nationwide that have achieved this full-staff certification.
“JetStream is taking its commitment to the next level,” says JetStream President/CEO Jeanne Kucey. “We’re confident that our efforts toward financial empowerment will result not only in increased visibility, but increased community goodwill and member loyalty.”
According to Kucey, every employee should possess the tools to effectively manage their finances. Regardless of position, everybody has the ability to positively impact their community by assisting friends, family, neighbors, classmates and membership with financial counseling.
With its CDFI counseling certification, JetStream can help its members with a variety of topics including:
- Budgeting/Money Management
- Managing Credit/Debt
- Credit Cards
- Buying/Leasing an automobile
- Homeownership
- Predatory Lending
Kucey adds that 75 percent of JetStream’s members in Miami Dade County and Puerto Rico reside in low income zip codes. “We are dedicated to our member’s prosperity and truly committed to identifying and serving the needs of this diverse, multi-ethnic population,” she adds. “This certification will definitely help us meet that goal.”
Community Development Certified Financial Counseling – created by CU Strategic Planning, a CDFI grant writing and marketing consulting firm – enables JetStream employees to better serve the credit union’s members when they face financial difficulty. The program builds staff capacity to provide financial counseling to members on a wide variety of topics, combining in-depth content on each subject area with an array of functional tools that staff can use when working with members in need.
“Providing financial literacy assistance to members of modest and moderate means should be a top credit union priority for several reasons,” Kucey says. “At JetStream, we are truly committed to reaching out to our underserved communities and assisting those who have limited access to financial products and services. Increasing active participation in the communities we serve will lead to amplified membership growth thus ensuring the future health of our credit union.”
About JetStream Federal Credit Union
JetStream Federal Credit Union is a full-service financial cooperative with $164 million in assets, serving over 20,000 members. The 66-year-old credit union has 7 branches located in Miami, Miami Lakes, Doral and Hialeah, Florida and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Membership is open to anyone (and their family members) who lives, works, worships or attends school in sections of Miami-Dade County, Florida, and anyone (and their family members) who lives, works, worships or attends school in Carolina, Trujillo Alto and San Juan, Puerto Rico. All persons (and their family members) who work in any of our select companies and organizations located in Miami-Dade County and the select areas of Puerto Rico may also join. Membership is open to