Jacksonville, Fla.-based Alive Credit Union has become the first CU in Northeast Florida to receive the Juntos Avanzamos designation from Inclusiv, the credit union announced today.
Juntos Avanzamos, Spanish for “Together we advance” is a nationwide program aimed at helping credit union make inroads in the Spanish-speaking consumer market. In order to receive the designation, each credit union must undergo a rigorous application process and demonstrate various initiatives it has implemented to serve the Hispanic market. For Alive, that includes bilingual staff, in-house financial counselors, programs allowing the use of ITINs and alternative IDs, and more.
“This national recognition acknowledges our commitment to inspiring financial wellness and improving the lives of every single member of our diverse community, regardless of race, socioeconomic background, national origin or immigration status,” Rose Gunter, president and CEO of the $136 million-asset credit union, said in a statement.
Alive is the latest in a growing number of credit unions to join the Juntos Avanzamos network, following on the heels of credit unions in Idaho, Indiana and more. Last month Inclusiv celebrated the program having grown to 100 member institutions across 26 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, serving more than 7 million consumers.
In a separate release, Pablo DeFilippi, SVP membership & network engagement at Inclusiv, called the program “the financial-inclusion standard for Hispanics and immigrants within the credit union industry. Inclusiv is proud of this historic achievement, which is the result of the collective support of a coalition of league and industry partners committed.”
