Family Promise is a long-time Alive Credit Union partner. Family Promise has been serving displaced families since 2006 in Jacksonville but is a national organization that has served communities since 1986. Family Promise shelters up to three families at a time. The family is invited to stay at the shelter that affords an apartment-style living quarters, communal bathroom, and communal living quarters. The families are provided with food and transportation. They also are granted access to office space, computers, storage for personal items, laundry facilities, and a garden/playground. Family Promise’s case management focuses on breaking barriers so the family can return to stability. The focus areas are stable, affordable housing, job readiness, and employment as well as medical care, childcare, clothing, and furniture for once the family graduates the program.

A focus of family promise is improving financial wellness.

Did You Know

• In Jacksonville, there is a critical shortage of shelter beds for families experiencing homelessness

• In 2022 Jacksonville was rated number 5 in rent increase with a monthly median rent up 22% over 2019. (Most recent numbers do show a trending stability and decrease in rent, down 1.2%)

• There are an estimated 3,400 homeless in Jacksonville, only 1,100 have access to emergency shelter beds

• Leading causes of homelessness are attributed: to lack of affordable housing, poverty, unemployment, domestic violence, mental illness, racial inequality, healthcare inaccessibility, low wages, and community violence.

How you can get involved

Every year in November Family Promise has a homelessness education event called: Cardboard City. During this event, you are encouraged to sleep on a couch, in a tent, in your car, or in a cardboard box. At the annual event families, churches, teams, and companies build cardboard “houses”. This year, I would like to challenge our branches to participate in a cardboard house competition. Using simple resources such as free boxes, bags, tape, and scissors, create a house, credit union branch, or ATM. You can display this in your lobby with the cardboard city brochures I sent through the courier. The branch with the best cardboard creation will win a special surprise. Check out the images below from previous years.

In the vibrant city of Jacksonville, Florida, one of our most rewarding missions is to provide financial services that empower and uplift our diverse communities. Among these communities, the Hispanic population plays a crucial role in the cultural and economic tapestry of our city. As a Juntos Avanzamos Credit Union, we have the honor of witnessing firsthand the impact of providing financial services to the Hispanic community.

community statistics

• 11.3% of the Jacksonville population identify as LatinX or Hispanic

• 1 in 4 Floridians are of Hispanic descent

• Hispanics account for 29% of consumer buying power in Florida

Understanding the Financial Struggles

Before we dive into the positive impact, let's take a moment to understand some of the unique financial struggles that members of the Hispanic community in Jacksonville may face:

For many Hispanic residents, English may not be their first language. This language barrier can make it challenging to access financial services, understand complex documents, or communicate effectively with financial institutions. Some individuals in the Hispanic community may be unbanked or underbanked, meaning they have limited access to traditional banking services. This can result in a reliance on costly alternative financial services such as predatory check cashing services. Immigration status can be a significant factor affecting financial stability. Undocumented individuals may face additional challenges in accessing certain financial resources or services. Financial literacy is a universal need, but it may be particularly essential for those who are navigating a new financial system in a new country. Lack of financial knowledge can lead to poor financial decisions.

The Impact of Providing Financial Services

Now, let's shift our focus to the positive impact of providing tailored financial services to the Hispanic community in Jacksonville:

Empowerment Through Education

Financial educators such as Alive’s team of Financial Wellness Coaches, play a vital role in equipping members of the Hispanic community with the knowledge and skills they need to make informed financial decisions. This empowerment can break down barriers and create a path to financial stability.

Building Trust

By establishing trust and fostering relationships within the community like at the upcoming Viva La Fiesta event, Alive is able to encourage more individuals to utilize banking services, reducing their reliance on costly alternatives.

Access to Affordable Services

Offering affordable and accessible financial services can make a significant difference in the lives of Hispanic residents. This includes providing our free and low-fee banking options, affordable and non-discriminatory loans, and savings programs.

Financial Inclusion

Ultimately, the goal is financial inclusion. By ensuring that all members of the Hispanic community have access to mainstream financial services, we create a more equitable and prosperous city for everyone.

In conclusion, providing financial services to the Hispanic community in Jacksonville goes beyond banking; it's about building bridges to financial stability and success. By understanding the unique challenges faced by this community and tailoring our services to meet their needs, we can make a lasting impact on the lives of our Hispanic neighbors. Together, we can work towards a more financially inclusive and prosperous Jacksonville for all.

Sources: COJ.net, hispanicunity.org, pewresearch.org

In a world where financial stability and literacy are crucial skills, Alive Credit Union has taken up the mantel to make a tangible difference. Community Development & Financial Wellness Coaches, the driving force behind the financial literacy initiatives at Alive Credit Union, have been transforming lives and shaping futures throughout the year. As we pass the halfway-marker to a remarkable year, it's time to reflect on the incredible strides made in spreading financial knowledge and empowerment.

High School 9:12 Financial Literacy Bootcamp

The year started with a resounding success as we continued our partnership with High School 9:12 to deliver an intensive 6-week financial literacy bootcamp. The impact of this initiative is simple, equipping young minds with essential life skills that go beyond the classroom. From budgeting basics to understanding the nuances of credit, participants emerged from the program with newfound confidence and financial clarity.

We will be continuing this initiative with our fall series featuring all new materials and even more engagement with our invaluable resources from Banzai beginning September 18th. Please see upcoming events for more information!

Deepening Relationships through education

Throughout the year we have provided short seminars and get-to-know-us events for some of our existing partners such as Chad & Sandy Realty, Consor Moving, and Lutheran Social Services. If you have a business or foundation that may be interested in getting to know our credit union, reach out to Hali or Christian to set up an interactive and meaningful seminar.

Nurturing Financial Literacy in Local Schools

Summer became a season of outreach as we embarked on a journey to local high schools, including Terry Parker, Riverside, Andrew Jackson, and Westside, through the Communities in School Summer Camps. We also visited Lutheran Social Services After School Program, NLP Logix Coding Summer Camp, and the ARC’s High School High Tech Summer Camps. These sessions were bite-sized yet impactful, covering the fundamental aspects of opening bank accounts, cultivating a savings mindset, and laying the foundation for building a strong credit history. These efforts ensured that financial education reached young minds during a time when they were most receptive.

Monthly Financial Wellness Webinars

One of the cornerstones of Alive's initiatives was the launch of the monthly financial wellness webinars. This virtual platform allowed members to engage with financial experts and gain insights from the comfort of their homes. The inclusivity of this approach meant that geographical barriers were shattered, enabling a broader audience to access valuable financial guidance. Whether attending live or catching up on the replays, participants were armed with practical knowledge to make informed decisions.

Stay tuned to the free webinars that come out on the second Wednesday of each month. Our members can register to join live on the Alive website, or catch the replay on Youtube!

#FinancialFreedomFridays: A Social Media Movement

Alive has also demonstrated a keen understanding of the digital age by embracing social media as a tool for change. The inception of #FinancialFreedomFridays showcases our commitment to making financial literacy bite-sized and accessible. Through engaging and educational reels, members were treated to succinct yet impactful tips, transforming their Fridays into stepping stones toward financial empowerment.

A Special Gift on the Horizon: Spreading Holiday Cheer

As the year approaches its grand finale, Alive has created a special team of merry elves including Mark, Dylan, Christian, and Hali to prepare a special educational gift for all Alive Credit Union members. This December promises to be a season of giving, as members can look forward to a resource that encapsulates the essence of financial empowerment. The anticipation builds as Alives dedication to transforming lives continues to shine.

From intensive boot camps to virtual webinars, the initiatives undertaken in 2023 have redefined the landscape of financial education. Through collaboration, innovation, and a genuine desire to make a difference, Alive has taken strides toward a more financially empowered society.

As we eagerly await the December surprise, let's take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey of empowering financial literacy. The impact has been immense, and the future holds the promise of even greater strides toward a world where financial knowledge is a cornerstone of success.

Written by Hali

Who they are

The Clara White Mission was founded in 1904 but dates back to the 1880s in Jacksonville when former slave Clara English White began feeding her hungry neighbors out of her home on Clay Street. Her daughter, Dr. Eartha M. M. White would become a renowned humanitarian and work to build the Clara White Mission into a centenarian foundation not only focused on housing and feeding the hungry and displaced but also providing vocational programs to put people to work.

Along the way, the White Harvest Farm was built into the foundation. At White Harvest Farm, the foundation is not only able to grow organic food to feed the nearly 1000 families they aid each week, but to also act as a community hub for education on self-sustainability, urban gardening, and urban beekeeping.

Involvement

Recently CARES activated a group of volunteers to go out to the White Harvest Farm for a day volunteering in the August sun as they reap the last of the summer harvest and prepare for fall. Together, the volunteers tackled several projects for the foundation including digging holes for irrigation, shoveling and loading mulch, and harvesting hibiscus buds for tea and jelly. We were able to harvest over 14 lbs of hibiscus buds and process them to be ready for use to feed the community.

How you can get involved

The White Mission Farm seeks volunteers every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. If you have not yet reached your VTO goal for the year, and are interested in making a meaningful impact on the community while working in the garden, you can enroll in the volunteer slots they have available at their website linked here. The Farm also has a weekly Farms Market on Saturdays to fund its efforts and offer affordable workshops to teach food sustainability skills to those who are interested.

August 14th is National Financial Awareness Day! This is a day when we are able to highlight the importance of using the strategy and mindset of financial awareness in order to reach financial wellness.

Financial awareness includes:

• Understanding how to save money

• Knowing your income

• Having and knowing your spending plan

• Protecting your money

• Knowing when to borrow money

• Understanding credit and how to use it properly

• Knowledge of different accounts (CD, Savings Share, IRA, etc)

• Having and knowing a long-term investment plan

One way we can assist our members on Financial Awareness day is sharing our financial resources especially free financial coaching. We offer several free resources, all available on the Alive CU website, such as:

• Financial Calculators

• Fraud Protection Tips

• Replays of our Financial Wellness Webinars

• Interactive Financial Wellness Coaching Scheduler

• Links to all our Financial Wellness Programs

• Financial Education Portal (Banzai)

In addition to the resources on our website, we also integrate Financial Wellness through our social media channels in several ways:

• #FinancialFreedomFridays on Facebook & Instagram Reels

• “Ask Ken” Facebook Page

• Replays of our Financial Wellness Webinars

We have even more financial resources rolling out soon so keep an eye out! Remember you can always turn to our internal team of Financial Coaches (currently Jess & Hali) for support in best serving our members Financial Wellness needs.

Please try to share one of the resources listed above with each of your members on Financial Awareness Day and make yourself more familiar with one of our financial wellness programs such as Drive with Alive, Credit Builder loans, or the Fresh Start Checking Accounts.

Alive has been a partner of Brooks Rehab for several years. The depth and breadth of Brooks Rehabilitation’s community programs are unique from any other health program. They provide adaptive sports, Aphasia care in the Brain Injury Clubhouse, as well as state of the art therapeutic services. It isn’t just the state of the art equipment that makes an impact on our community, but also the care the Brooks staff give to their patients in and outside of working hours. Brooks employees donate nearly $150,000 of their own money annually to provide to individuals with differing abilities. They also donate much of their time.

Jess Parmenter and Hali Hagist, both Alive CARES members, saw this first hand on July 15th while volunteering at the 15th Annual Adaptive Surfing event. The adaptive surfing event has well over 100 volunteers, a majority of which are Brooks employees, assisting the mentally and physically challenged with an engaging surf experience. Some individuals may be recovering from a stroke, while others may be quadriplegics. No matter what each individual brings to the table, Brooks ensures each and every person is treated with dignity and given a chance to make a splash!

Brooks has 610 active participants in their Adaptive Sports and Recreation program the Jacksonville area. This program offers fitness and friendship to participants of all ages. Brooks has a wide range of adaptive sports it offers including:

• Archery

• Billiards

• Boccia

• Bowling

• Cycling

• Dance

• Fishing

• Golf

• Kayaking

• Mindfulness based Yoga

• Movie Nights

• Power Soccer

• Rowing

• Surfing

• Trap Shooting

• Water Skiing

• Wheelchair Basketball

• Wheelchair Rugby

This program would not be possible without volunteers like Hali and Jess who earned 5 additional hours towards Alive’s 300 hour goal! If you are interested in volunteering with the Brooks Rehab Adaptive Sports Program, please click the button below to explore upcoming events. CARES has also teamed up with Brooks for a School Supply Drive organised by the Brooks School Re-entry Program. You can see pictures from all volunteer events under the Team Pictures page!

At the Main branch, in the lending wing, there sits an office where the door is always open and a smile is always present. Ken has been with Alive as our Mortgage Officer in lending for 6 years! When Ken is not at home with his family, coaching soccer with his sons, or attending church, he is here at Alive assisting our members in buying their next home.

Recently Ken has been heading up rolling out the Down Payment Assistance Program for our members. This is an exciting program where a first time home buyer can qualify for up to $50,000 of financial aid towards a down payment or closing costs. This is not the only program Ken engages with to better assist our members. Ken is also well versed in FHA, VA, and even USDA Rural Loans.

On our home website, we host a page specifically aimed at educating members on the mortgage process. However, we live in a digital age where short videos, engaging social pages, and podcasts are the prefered resources for information so leadership at Alive has worked with Ken to create “Ask Ken”.

Ask Ken is an interactive Facebook Group designed to provide guidance for anyone on their home buying journey. On the page, Ken answers questions, interacts directly with the community, and shares even more resources for future home buyers. Ask Ken is a private group but to help spread the word, we would appreciate if you join the group by searching “Ask Ken! Your path to homeownership” on your Facebook. You can share the group and invite your friends and family who would benefit from this fun and free resource.

Stay tuned for upcoming events with Ask Ken, and other exciting new digital resources for our members.

Do you have the next big idea on bettering our member’s lives? Submit any suggestions or questions to your pal Al on right here on the intranet!

For many years now, Alive has offered Free Financial Wellness Coaching to our members. Recently, this program has expanded with a new self service scheduling system rolling out so our members can request meetings with the coaches at their convenience. This new feature is located on the alivecu.coop website.

Alive’s Coaches are credit union certified financial counselors who offer motivational guidance and support to members in achieving their financial goals. Goals vary from improving credit, to paying down debt, preparing to purchase a home, or even transitioning into retirement. Every step of the way, the coach is there to assist the member in choosing the right “plays” and celebrating the victories. Tellers, member service representatives, contact center representatives, and loan officers are encouraged to recommend financial wellness coaching to the members who may benefit this service.

The Coaching Team is currently growing with several new coaches starting their own vigorous “training” through the CUNA eSchool. It’s not too late to join this year’s trainees! Webinars are available to view in your down time and all training resources as well as the national accreditation exam are free for employees courtesy of Alive. In addition to making a big difference in your local community, being a Financial Coach is a great resume builder and showcases your dedication to the credit union movement as well as your depth of knowledge.

If you are interested in becoming an Alive Financial Wellness Coach, send a quick email to get started!

Ms. Cohen said - “Shanaz has been and continues to be one of the greatest assets to the team she leads. She has trusted me, her gut, my history. I owe Shanaz a debt of gratitude. I give her a round of applause to honor her dedication, decisiveness, honesty, ability to adapt, and so much more. Shanaz is an outstanding officer and important asset to your team.”

Ms. Cohen said - “Maria is the most patient person I’ve come across since relocating to Jacksonville. Maria has always been so very gracious towards me. She inspires me. She has also been one of my biggest cheerleaders, for a lack of better word. She treats me with respect, honor and kindness. Maria is a gem. Thank you for having Maria on your team.”

To those stellar reviews we say…

THANK YOU ladies, for living our purpose of inspiring financial wellness. Great job!