Notre Dame Federal Credit Union became the first and only Indiana credit union to receive the national Juntos Avanzamos designation, which recognizes a credit union’s commitment to serving and empowering Hispanic and immigrant consumers.
Spanish for “Together we advance,” Juntos Avanzamos CUs help Hispanic and immigrant consumers navigate the U.S. financial system, and provide these communities with safe and affordable financial services.
“On behalf of the network of Juntos Avanzamos credit unions, the Federation congratulates Notre Dame Federal Credit Union for their leadership in promoting financial inclusion for the Latino community,” Pablo DeFilippi, senior vice president of membership and network engagement of the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions said in a statement.
“For too long the banking world has said “Se habla espanol?” and all they offer is an interpreter,” said John Wilkening, chief retail officer at Notre Dame FCU. “It is window dressing. We are giving the community a team of experts. We say to all welcome home. We are on a mission to change lives.”
Juntos Avanzamos credit unions regularly employ bilingual, culturally competent staff and accept alternative forms of identification for prospective members. In order to earn the designation, credit unions must complete an application as well as a narrative form, documentation that both assess a credit unions Hispanic outreach.
Application questions request standard information such as the number of employees and board members, but also delves into the number of Hispanic board members, Hispanic employees, number of bilingual staff, and the breakdown of Hispanics holding middle-management and upper-management positions.
“Receiving this designation is a great honor that was not achieved overnight,” said Esmi Rivera, the credit union’s diversity and inclusion officer. “I am very honored and proud to work in an organization that supports and loves the community and does not allow cultural barriers to stand in the way of financial empowerment.”
The application also looks for at least two services accessible to Spanish-speakers, including but not limited to money orders, second chance checking, and direct deposit. Notre Dame FCU’s Opportunity Loan program, offered since 2009, was recognized for its low-cost financing for immigration-related fees such as with seeking citizenship, permanent residency or deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) extensions. In 2018, the filing fee for Form N-400, the Application for Naturalization, runs $725 while a DACA renewal costs $495.
“This distinction acknowledges our historical and on-going commitment to help all our member-owners “move forward together” with financial empowerment tools that improve lives,” commented Thomas Gryp, president and CEO.
The Juntos Avanzamos designation was developed by the Cornerstone Credit Union League as a Hispanic outreach program in Texas, but quickly expanded across the country and now encompasses a network of 85 credit unions across 23 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.
In celebration of the designation, Notre Dame FCU plans to launch its new marketing campaign on National Citizenship Day to celebrate "Doing More" than just speaking the Spanish language.
The $600 million credit union serves over 57,000 members worldwide. In their most recent call report, Notre Dame FCU earned $1,500,043 in net income so far in 2018, along with a well-capitalized classification and a 9.03 net worth ratio.
