Opportunity Knock$ TV series, featuring five CUs, wins Telly Award
PBS reality series follows families from financial hardship to empowerment
HOLLYWOOD, CA (June 5, 2023) — Opportunity Knock$, the groundbreaking reality television series broadcast by PBS stations across the country, has been awarded the prestigious Silver Telly Award for Best Reality Television Program in the 44th Annual Telly Awards. Season one of the series features five Community Development Financial Institution-certified credit unions as they guide six families on the verge of financial ruin to empowerment.
Participating CDFI credit unions include:
- Coastal Credit Union
- Financial Partners Credit Union
- Pelican State Credit Union
- Raiz Federal Credit Union
- Suncoast Credit Union
Opportunity Knock$ showcases the transformative power of CDFIs and credit unions working with nonprofits to unlock opportunities for people to move beyond their financial challenges to achieve their dreams. The show walks viewers through the life-changing guidance team members from these credit unions provide and leverages The Opportunity Finder. The Opportunity Finder is a tool that connects those in need of assistance to local nonprofits, CDFIs and not-for-profit credit unions.
Michelle Moore, a Tampa resident appearing in the show, shares with the audience during the sixth episode, “I didn’t really know what a CDFI was, or the difference between a credit union and a bank. Now I’m a believer.” Her experience exemplifies the power Opportunity Knock$ possesses to raise awareness of CDFIs and credit unions.
Season one is funded through a generous grant from the National Council for Financial Opportunities. Additional funding is provided by Balance, one of the nation’s oldest and most respected nonprofit financial counseling agencies, and Callahan & Associates. It is slated for rebroadcast again later this year, and season two is in preproduction.
“We’re tremendously proud to have been a part of the success of Opportunity Knock$, celebrating and highlighting credit unions’ successes to impact real people who are struggling,” Callahan & Associates President/CEO Jon Jeffreys said. “Congratulations to everyone who worked hard on the show, and I hope every credit union will support this effort to raise awareness of the amazing work credit unions do every day.”
Directed by veteran reality television producer Brian Spoor who executive produced the series with CDFI and credit union champion and Creator/Producer Jamie Strayer and Executive Producer Jenn George Hunter, Opportunity Knock$ stars renowned financial experts Jean Chatzky, Louis Barajas and Patrice Washington.
“The impact these credit unions are making in their communities is inspiring, and we are honored to share their members’ stories on a national scale,” Strayer says. “I’m incredibly proud of our team’s work producing Opportunity Knock$ and to be recognized with a Telly Award is extraordinarily rewarding.”
Raiz Federal Credit Union CEO Max Villaronga adds, “It was incredibly important for Raiz to participate in Opportunity Knock$, not only to support our credit union and members, but also to support all credit unions by raising awareness. The Telly Award is the icing on the cake, serving to further highlight the difficult work credit unions across the country are undertaking every day – that’s what we want to share in hopes more people will seek out not-for-profit credit unions for assistance along their financial journey.”
The Silver Telly Award is the latest in Opportunity Knock$’ growing list of accolades. The program is praised by the National Financial Counseling Association of America and Balance and has been called the “Ted Lasso of Reality Television” on Rotten Tomatoes, where it has earned a 100% audience score.
About Opportunity Knock$
Opportunity Knock$ pairs six diverse families with renowned financial experts Jean Chatzky, Patrice Washington, and Louis Barajas, who provide actionable advice, tools, and community resources to break down systematic barriers and help people build better financial lives.
The Telly Award-winning show is produced with social justice values aligned with its mission of financial empowerment and economic mobility. Its transformative technology The Opportunity Finder is designed by Wave2.
Opportunity Knock$ is broadcast nationally by PBS stations and streams on PBS Passport. It is underwritten by The National Council for Financial Opportunities and distributed by American Public Television (APT) and presenting station WXXI.
There are many ways to watch Opportunity Knock$.
