Every year on July 28th we celebrate #ILoveMyCreditUnion Day. The purpose of the #ILoveMyCreditUnion movement is to bring credit unions together internationally on a single day with the purpose of inspiring authentic and high-energy conversation about why we love our credit unions.

What do you love?

There are many reasons to love your credit union. Maybe you love Alive because of our active involvement in the community. Perhaps you love that our lending is all decisioned in house and by a human being. It could be that you are enamored with our supportive and hard working back office staff. You may love that each of our member service representatives and tellers know our members and offer account solutions specific to the individual.

Whatever your reason is, now is the time to share your unique experience and perspective. During #ILoveMyCreditUnion Day, we along with hundreds of other credit unions around the world, will share our love on social media by using the designated hashtag. We can also use this opportunity to engage with our members. Use the branded #ILoveMyCreditUnion slips provided to your supervisor to ask your member, “I see you have been a member with Alive for 20 years, can you share with me what you love about your CU?”. It’s also a great time to share your appreciation for the members who trust us each day with their money. These are the funds that secure their home, provide for their family, and allow them to accomplish their dreams.

Your call to action:

Leading up to July 28th, you may receive an email request to share your story. Your story may be a way that Alive has supported you in your personal or professional life that drives your love and support for our CU. On the day of, be sure to share and repost our posts on your personal social media or share your own personal story to help spread the word!

On #ILoveMyCreditUnion Day, please wear your red I love my CU shirt or another Alive branded shirt in red or black to correlate with our efforts.

#ILoveMyCreditUnion

#ILoveMyCreditUnion

On the third Tuesday of each month, families line up outside of Lutheran Social Services for free eye exams, health screenings, HIV testing, and financial services while they wait to collect food from the food pantry. Since November of 2022 Alive has been the proud presenter of the monthly event that helps to support our community in such an impactful way.

For several months, Karen, supervisor of the Baymeadows Branch, attended these events. Karen and now Hali, speak to the attendees and provide financial education and provide product knowledge to assist them wherever they are at on their financial wellness journey. Many of these members of our community have suffered from a job loss, illness, or mave recently immigrated to the United States. The majority have no credit or are working to repair their credit, two life paths that Alive is well prepared to address. With Alive’s recent Bank On designation for our Fresh Start Checking Account, we expect even more of these members of the community will turn to Alive to assist in helping to get them back on their feet.

Beyond Alive’s partnership with Lutheran Social Services, CARES also worked with the food pantry earlier this year by not only raising over 400 lbs of food donations given to families in need, but also by leading a week long Pantry Volunteer initiative where team members from all over the credit union earned volunteer time off while helping pack food boxes and give them out to the displaced and hungry.

Stay tuned to learn more about how Alive works to inspire financial wellness in our community!

Alive CFO and Northeast LSCU Chapter Treasurer, Ricky Joshi is working among the cooperatives to reinvigorate the League of Southeastern Credit Union & Affiliates Northeast Chapter’s Young Professionals Group. The LSCU is the regional trade association for credit unions in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. They provide resources, tools, and support that enable credit unions to grow and succeed.

The Young Professionals group or “YP” is made up of credit union professionals, 40 years of age and younger, working to positively impact the credit union movement. The goals of the program are “improved industry awareness, increased knowledge and professional development, and a collaborative spirit among young credit union professionals”, according to the LSCU. These individuals are the future leaders of the credit union movement.

Ricky joined YP as soon as the program was initiated several years ago. He has since aged out of being an active participant but is taking on an active role in encouraging the YP program’s growth. Ricky shared ”The value added that comes from the YP program is the people you surround yourself with. You get to bounce back ideas among each other and see what they are doing to further themselves in their career.” One of the 9 Cooperative Principles of the Credit Union Movement is “Cooperation among cooperatives”, which is why groups such as YP are so special. Other industries that may be less cooperative do not have the safe space to bounce ideas off of peers. It’s not all about tight ties and stiff shoes though, in fact, when asking Ricky about his YP experience he shared one of his greatest joys was simply “attending social hours and connecting with people”.

Each year, YP hosts an event called “YP Think Tank”. Jessica Parmenter, supervisor of the Touchton Branch and Hali Hagist, community development representative, both had the opportunity to attend in 2023. At the event each speaker addressed a topic of professional development from self marketing, to being a team leader, to understanding what the LSCU does. Other YP Chapter Board Members sat on a panel and shared the value they have received from being active in their groups. Jess shared that she “enjoyed being around other like-minded young professionals. It was fun hearing their experiences and stories within the credit union space. Seeing how excited and encouraging everyone was really motivated me to want to become more involved in the credit union industry.”

If you are interested in joining the reinvigorated and exciting YP movement or are passionate about credit unions and want to deepen your impact, join the YP chapter for free by using the button below.

After careful planning and dedication, Alive has made a splash on Action News Jax! With our bright tagline “Bank Healthier. Live Happier.” juxtaposed on white at the top of the action news website as well as in sidebar advertisements, marketing and leadership are working to spread the word about our credit union in the Jacksonville community!

In addition to our big splash on the Action News website, you may also see our commercial spot on the local channels, CBS 47 and Fox 30. This commercial stars many of our celebrity coworkers including Dani from Contact Center, Andre and Glenn from IT, Maria in Reception, Rachel in Administration, Lisa and Dylan from Member Service, and Cecilia from Loans. A big round of applause for these stars for stepping up and assisting the credit union in creating this commercial and a standing ovation to Christian, our Marketing & Business Development Manager for making it happen. The commercial shares how Alive does more for our members with multiple checking account options, savings dividends, and our financial education services.

Enjoy these fun behind the scenes Moments captured by Mark in Member Service!

Christian observes and guides the commercial to stay within CEO Rose Gunter’s vision for our CU.

Teller Dylan sits beside a “member”, played by IT Temp Venkat, while showcasing our product booklet.

A drone zooms through the lobby, capturing Hali and Cecilia.

The lobby is bustling with camera crew, Alive’s infamous actors, and lighting!

Be sure to share the commercial with your friends and family! The full version can be found on the Alive CU social media channels.

Alive is excited to share our back to school personal loan promotion!

This loan promo offers personal loans as low as 8.99% and is a fantastic resource for parents and students preparing to go back to school this fall. This can be used for tuition, books, laptops, supplies, clothes, room accessories, or any other back to school needs!

New promo email signature art is saved under the data file in the eSignature Artwork found in the Common folder. You can find details on updating your email signature in an email send by Christian on June 30th.

According to a USA Today report from 2022, parents spent $661 per child in grades K-12 on back-to-school purchases on average. That price can be assumed to be even greater as an effect of inflation this school year. 15 million children’s families do not have the money for school supplies. With budgets tighter than ever, our members and community may struggle with sending their children and teens back to school this year.

How can you help?

CARES has been inspired by the Brooks Rehab School Supply Drive. This school supply drive takes the donated pens, pencils, and various other supplies and distributes them to the Title I schools in Duval County. A Title I school is a school that has been tapped to be in a federally funded program based on the percentage of students eligible for free and reduced lunch. These schools have a population of at least 40% of students in a low-income family. To be considered a low-income family, the average annual income cannot exceed $30,000 for a family of four.

CARES Challenges You!

CARES is challenging each of our branches in Jacksonville to begin collecting school supplies using the donation boxes that will delivered shortly. Not only do we challenge each branch to gather donated goods, we also want to see what branch can gather the most. As we all know, west side was the best side when it came to our Ronald McDonald tab collection. Who will be the greatest champion for our Duval County students in need? Time is of the essence: all donations end July 31st so that supplies can be organized and get out to the children before school starts in August.

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!

Did you know?

• Close to 4.5% of U.S. households are “unbanked”.

• Almost 14.1% of U.S. households are underbanked, meaning they still use some fringe financial services.

• Nearly 29.2% of unbanked households earn less than $30,000 per year.

• Nationally, 36% of Black households and 33.4% of Hispanic households are unbanked or underbanked , compared to less than 12% of White households.

Solution:

One key challenge facing unbanked and underbanked individuals has been a lack of safe and appropriate accounts offered by mainstream financial institutions, particularly those without overdraft.

The CFE Fund has worked closely with the Bank On National Advisory Board and other key stakeholders to develop the Bank On National Account Standards. Inspired by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Model Safe Accounts Template, these standards provide local programs with a benchmark for account partnerships with financial institutions, including their local partners. Financial institutions with accounts that meet these Standards can apply free for national certification.

Bankon at alive

As of February of 2023, Alive’s Fresh Start Checking is officially accredited as a Bank On Certified account by the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund. Fresh Start accounts give an opportunity to the member to turn over a new leaf and start rebuilding a positive banking history. Members with poor credit or banking history can start in the Fresh Start Checking account and be converted into a Free Checking after a year of positive history upon review by management. They can then begin rebuilding credit with our Credit Builder Loan. As with all members, from the time they open their Fresh Start account, they are eligible to access our Free Financial Coaching Team who can guide them through the rebuilding process. This is another example of the products and services Alive has created to cater to the underserved and underbanked members of our community. #Bankingforall

Read more about our various credit and checking solutions in the Alive Credit Union Product Knowledge Manual.

Catch us on TV!

Now playing on the following networks:

Dani is excited to announce that they are expecting a little one!!! Congratulations, your Alive family is so excited for you two Dani! Woo-hoo!!!!

Hammond

Team Administration, Compliance and Loan Department

Rex does an excellent job juggling our facility, equipment, and ground maintenance needs at our main office and branch locations while also always offering to help others in different areas.  He has outstanding work ethics – always responsive, reliable and respectful.  Besides working hard each and every day, he participates in credit union sponsored event like the recent LungForce climb and the Brooks Go Baby Program. 

Rex does an excellent job holding our vendors accountable, which is no small feat nowadays!  Rex has also renegotiated several contracts that have either increased our services or saved us money.   

Thank you Rex for giving your best, every day, all year long. 

Besides an EOQ plaque to show off, in recognition of your performance, you will receive an extra $200, an extra day off, special parking spot and a Tidbit’s lunch on us.  

Thank you and congratulations again!

Team Baymeadows, Marketing & Call Center

Bird is the word

Sparky does the Jiggle JIggle

Sparky is a free bird

Sparky works hard & plays hard

Hello all,

Please join your CARES team August 13th from 9am-11am at Jacksonville Beach Pier for our first Beach Clean-Up initiative! Last year over 8000 pounds of debris was collected from multiple beaches right here in Jacksonville during the International Coastal Clean-up. Your efforts can make a difference!

On the day, please wear any Alive Credit Union t-shirt. Family is welcome. The more the merrier! The Credit Union will provide gloves, trash bags and reimburse the $3.00 parking fee, so save your receipt!!

Thanks,

Jessica Parmenter

All Art will be displayed as an Exhibit at The Jacksonville Fair from November 3rd – 13th, 2022.

Hey all,

It has been around seven months since our last blood drive, I wanted to give everyone a little break, but LifeSouth is excited to be back at our Touchton branch on Wednesday, July 27th from 10am-3pm. If you’re interested, please schedule your appointment by clicking on the following link:

https://donors.lifesouth.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/749661

Thank you for your support!

PS: Walk-in’s are always welcome, but an appointment is preferred.

For the 2022 tax season, we are once again partnering with TurboTax to provide members a discount of up to $15! Bonus, they will also have the option to use H&R Block instead and get a $25 discount if they are a new customer. (Meaning they did not file their taxes with H&R Block last tax season) 

Alive CU employees using TurboTax, can receive $10 off the Deluxe and Live Deluxe or $15 off Premier and Live Premier or $20 off Self-Employed and Live Self-Employed. This is an additional $5 discount than our members receive. If you’d like to take advantage of the TurboTax employee discount, please use the link in the flyer attached.  

If you are a new H&R Block customer and want to use the $25 coupon, please click here. You can also share this link with friends and family. 

I will be updating our website and sending marketing materials out to our members in the coming weeks.  

Please click the button below to view the employee benefits presentation. Open enrollment period opens Friday, December 10th and closes Friday, December 17th at midnight.

All changes will go into effect January 1, 2022.

Please contact Cindy Smith if you have any questions, or Erin Barry at Abentras via email: erin@abentras.com