Texas CU Member Scores Nearly $50K for Good Savings Habits

A credit union member in Dallas, Texas became about $50,000 richer thanks to her good savings habits and a stroke of luck.

Neighborhood Credit Union ($1 billion, Dallas) awarded Karyn Marshall, a 15-year member and holder of the credit union’s Prize Savings Account, with a check for $49,999 last week. She was notified that her name had been selected in a random drawing of Prize Savings Account holders during a video call.

Neighborhood established the Prize Savings Account in 2007 as an incentive for more members to save. All Prize Savings Account holders receive one drawing entry for every $25 monthly average balance in their Prize Savings Accounts – the greater the savings, the more chances a member has of winning. Members are eligible for weekly drawings that culminate in the annual grand prize, drawn each January based on their average monthly balance in the savings account at close of business Dec. 31.

Meanwhile, in Folsom, Calif., the $4.6 billion SAFE Credit Union announced that it awarded $120,000 to the following eight Sacramento area nonprofits in 2023 as part of its annual community grant program:

Child Advocates of El Dorado, which received $10,000 to support ongoing efforts to provide support, empower and be a voice for abused, neglected and at-risk youth.

Soil Born Farms in Rancho Cordova, which offers “farm to wellness” career programs to veterans in the Sacramento region, received $10,000.

Yolo Crisis Nursery, which serves California’s Yolo, Sacramento and Solano counties, received $10,000 for Safe Stays Crisis Respite Care, a program providing a caring and home-like environment for parents and children in crisis.

The Foster Youth Education Fund, which supports former foster youth in the Sacramento region, got $15,000 to award financial scholarships and laptops to those enrolling or attending a college, university or trade school.

Rebuilding Together Sacramento, which provides home improvement services that help vulnerable residents, is using a $15,000 grant from SAFE to provide free safety home modifications to older adults, individuals with disabilities and veterans as part of its Safe at Home Program.

The Sierra College Foundation, which will use a $20,000 grant to support its Expanded Mental Health Care program at Sierra College.

Junior Achievement of Sacramento, which received $20,000 to help expand JA WORK$, a work readiness and personal finance management program.

Volunteers of America of Northern California and Northern Nevada used its $20,000 grant to help fund its transitional housing program for homeless veterans.

“We take our mission to help our members and communities build financial freedom to heart,” SAFE Credit Union Vice President of Community Relations and Financial Education Rebecca Delmundo said. “These grants help individuals in often underserved communities receive the support, respect and the resources they need to build better lives.”

And in Sandy, Utah, the $18 billion Mountain America Credit Union revealed its 2023 Holiday Match Challenge with the Humane Society of Utah (HSU) raised the highest dollar amount in the history of the campaign – $312,859.

The challenge ran from Dec. 15-31 and resulted in $282,859 from 1,745 donors plus a $30,000 matching donation from the HSU. According to Mountain America, the donation will help fund animal rescues and lifesaving veterinary care, as well as comprehensive HSU programs including advanced veterinary care, low-cost spay/neuter services and vaccines for the community, pet retention, humane education and a behavior training program.

Sharon Cook, chief marketing officer at Mountain America, stated, “Mountain America is honored to help the Humane Society of Utah with its life-saving mission by offering this match to provide critical care to the animals at the shelter. Since 2016, we have partnered with the Humane Society of Utah to help nearly 1,200 pets find their forever homes. We are grateful for the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the lives of these pets and appreciate the community’s support as we all work together to provide critical care and save as many lives as possible.”