Training Is a Key Part of the Process

Posted by on May 21, 2013

Implementing a successful Hispanic outreach program takes more than just translating a credit union’s marketing materials and collateral. As the employees of Fitzsimmons Federal Credit Union (FFCU) of Aurora, Colo., have discovered, training is a key part of the process.

Taking advantage of Coopera’s expertise in both the credit union and Hispanic markets, FFCU has put an emphasis on training its staff over the last year. The goal? To strengthen the credit union’s internal infrastructure to better serve Hispanic members today and in the future.

These efforts have included:
- Regular attendance of Coopera’s Hispanic-outreach webinars
- Bi-monthly staff meetings
- Utilizing Coopera’s resource library
- Monthly consulting with the Coopera client services team
- Adding bilingual employees

“We have made a commitment at every level of our credit union — the Board of Directors, executive management and staff — to learn as much as we can about the Hispanic community, particularly their financial needs,” said Sandy Neves, president and CEO, FFCU. “Through training, we have also come to understand how to apply what we know to each and every member interaction.”

Through these efforts, FFCU has come to realize why training is such a necessary part of implementing a successful Hispanic outreach program. “We knew we had to get our internal structure in place before we could reach out to the Hispanic community. Coopera’s trainings are really comprehensive, and we are learning so much,” said Neves.

“Training has definitely kept our staff engaged, focused and excited during the implementation process,” added Neves. “And, we’re realizing that everything we’ve learned will help all our members, not just Hispanic members.”

It’s not only Neves and her management team who are impressed with the results. Here’s what FFCU’s employees have said about the benefits of training:

“I speak Spanish a little bit, so I am somewhat familiar with the language, and I have been viewing the webinars from Coopera. I think they are a great resource, and all staff should view these webinars.”

I believe having more Coopera training would be helpful. The webinars have been great resources.”

“Partnering with Coopera has been very beneficial in guiding the credit union in preparing to enter the Hispanic market.”

“We have received a wealth of resources from Coopera that will assist us.”

“The Coopera webinars provide a lot of additional information and are a useful guide to the Hispanic Outreach Program.”

“I appreciate continued education about the Hispanic culture, specific products and services and language. We are gaining this through our partnership with Coopera.”

Neves noted that Coopera has learned a lot from FFCU through the training process too. “They ask us a lot of questions about our local market and have gained a better understanding of our Hispanics’ unique cultural and financial needs,” she said.

And, according to Neves, this insight has allowed Coopera to better help FFCU tailor its approach to their local market. This is particularly important when it comes to breaking down any barriers or misunderstandings FFCU’s local Hispanic community might have about the U.S. financial system or how to highlight the credit union advantage.

Leading up to the implementation of FFCU’s Hispanic outreach initiatives, the credit union also engaged Coopera to conduct a Hispanic Opportunity Navigator and marketing analysis, as well as perform translation services and make the El Poder es Tuyo website available to members.

“Hispanics aren’t just another demographic,” said Neves. “Growing our Hispanic membership base is central to our current and future growth strategies. We could not have done this without Coopera’s help.”

Leave a comment

Target Market: Second Generation and Gen Y Hispanics

Posted by on May 14, 2013

The U.S. Hispanic market’s sheer size, youth and rate of growth has many in the financial services market understanding now is the time to adjust for service to this critical consumer segment.  Part of the draw to serving Hispanic consumers – particularly for credit unions who struggle with aging memberships – is the unmatched youth of the U.S. Hispanic market.

For this reason, targeting “second-generation,” or children of Hispanic immigrants, is a smart strategy for credit union leaders who want to introduce their cooperative to the next generation of financial-service consumers. Beyond this target market’s youth, second-generation Hispanics generally have higher incomes, more degrees and own more homes than their parents, making them attractive financial clients. In fact, 91 percent of Hispanic youth agreed with this statement: “No matter how poor you start out in the United States, with hard work you can achieve success.”

The possibilities for credit unions to act as a partner in the pursuit of this belief is equally as strong, as many young Hispanic members will have part-time jobs with income streams at younger ages. Couple this with a need for education, lifestyle and auto loans, and the value of a credit union to a young Hispanic American becomes clear. If established early, that relationship is likely to grow over time, as members enter adulthood, their careers grow and they begin to upgrade vehicles and purchase homes.

Communicating this ability and willingness to help young adults reach their financial goals will be less complicated with second-generation Hispanic consumers, as 93 percent report they speak English either very well or well. That said, this audience is typically bilingual, with 8 in 10 second-generation Hispanics reporting they converse either very or pretty well in Spanish.

Understanding which segment of the Hispanic youth population best aligns with a credit union’s value proposition and strategic growth goals is an important first step to the development of a plan to serve young Hispanics.

This blog is an excerpt from the new Coopera white paper, “The Multifaceted Hispanic Market,” available for download at http://tinyurl.com/c8jwf45.

Leave a comment

Case Study: Targeted Programs Focus on Members’ Lifestyle Needs, Not Cultural Differences

Posted by on May 7, 2013

What follows is a case study excerpt from the Hispanic Opportunity Report developed as part of the California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues’ newly formed partnership with Coopera.

In 2004, Great Basin Federal Credit Union of Reno, Nev., recognized how fast the Hispanic population was growing in Washoe County. Indeed, it was projected to reach over 30 percent of the county’s population in the coming decades. The credit union’s leadership knew it was the right time to showcase its differences from other financial institutions (FIs) in the area. Offering better programs and services to meet the financial needs of Hispanic consumers was one way they set out to do just that.

“Great Basin strives to enrich the lives of its members, regardless of heritage or nationality, through education and financial excellence,” said Elisabeth Hadler, Great Basin FCU marketing manager. “As a financial cooperative that focuses on service, not profits, we work to build personal relationships with our members to best understand what they need from their financial institution.”

Driven by its people-first philosophy, Great Basin FCU set out to implement Hispanic outreach efforts focusing on lifestyle needs rather than cultural differences.

Before they could focus on outreach, Hadler said, Great Basin FCU worked to implement an internal infrastructure to accommodate their upcoming efforts. They hired more bilingual staff and gave pay raises to those staffers who learned Spanish. At one point, up to 50 percent of the staff boasted bilingual capabilities. Great Basin FCU also partnered with specialists to offer a series of diversity and language training programs for employees’ ongoing education.

The cooperative also programmed its phone system to offer its menu and directory assistance in both English and Spanish, as well as set up a special voicemail inbox for Spanish-speaking members who were invited to leave messages with their specific questions or needs. Great Basin FCU also put processes in place to ensure Hispanic members who visited any of their branch locations were able to conduct all meetings and transactions with a Spanish-speaking employee.

“Our membership responded really well to the processes we implemented to bolster our Hispanic outreach efforts,” said Hadler. “Through these steps, we were able to build loyalty with our current membership and gain an awareness and trust with prospective members.”

Once the internal infrastructure was in place, Great Basin FCU turned its attention outward, said Hadler. To build relationships in the communities they serve, the cooperative also joined the local Hispanic chambers of commerce and encouraged employees to attend local Hispanic community events.

The cooperative also initiated member workshops in Spanish to connect financial literacy with Hispanics’ particular banking needs, as well as to educate members about their home buying and credit-building programs. These workshops were designed to help members better understand the importance of building credit, how to maintain good credit and how to decipher a credit report, among other credit-related topics.

Great Basin FCU also had implemented an indirect lending program for consumers to receive pre-approval and financing options on-site at local car dealerships. The program removed an extra step in the car-buying process, eliminating the need for the car-buying member to visit a Great Basin FCU branch location to complete the vehicle purchase.

One popular program for Great Basin FCU members has been the Directo a Mexico program, noted Hadler. Directo a Mexico is a wire-service program designed to offer members a more affordable way to send money outside the U.S. Transfer processing fees are waived for core credit union members who transfer money from Great Basin FCU to another FI outside the United States that participates in the program. For customers who are not core members, transfer process fees can be as low as $10, compared to more costly fees of $35 for transferring money to FIs not part of the Directo a Mexico program.

When the 2008 recession hit, it was a struggle for Great Basin FCU to maintain its outreach efforts, according to Hadler. “The economic downturn really limited the time and resources we were able to devote to our Hispanic outreach efforts,” said Hadler. “Because of the costs involved, we scaled back on our bilingual marketing materials, and we found it harder to retain bilingual staff. And with changes in compliance, we found it even more challenging to track and measure the success of our programs.”

That said, Hadler noted the cooperative worked hard to keep programs like Directo a Mexico in place. As well, the credit union has continued its internal processes to offer members in person and over-the-phone service in both English and Spanish.

“Over the years, Great Basin FCU has grown its Hispanic base to be more than 25 percent of the 150,000 members we serve,” concluded Hadler. “We’re proud that even in the face of economic uncertainties, we made the right decision, continuing to offer the financial programs and services the Hispanic market needs most.”

Leave a comment

Reach Hispanics through Financial Literacy

Posted by on April 23, 2013

Financial literacy is one of the most critical services that your credit union can provide members, particularly the Hispanic community in your area. Many Hispanics in the U.S. today are underserved, turning to friends and family for loans, or worse to expensive check-cashing or payday loan establishments.

With one out of two U.S. Hispanics being unbanked or underserved, your credit union has a tremendous opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of Hispanic members.

Coopera client Security One Federal Credit Union in Arlington, Texas, believes financial literacy efforts need to focus on the whole family’s financial needs. This begins by teaching children about saving and the advantages of holding a youth account and goes all the way through to helping parents understand how to improve credit scores or secure loans. Also, Security One works to educate business owners on the importance of budgeting expenses, filing taxes and preparing for audits.

Business Development Coordinator Danny Garcia said, “At Security One, we are focused on growing the Hispanic community’s ability to be more financially independent. Through our assistance and guidance, individuals are able to better themselves financially, which makes the whole community stronger. We take a holistic approach, networking and partnering with schools and universities, churches, as well as community organizations, like libraries, medical centers and government agencies, to promote financial literacy and the credit union difference.”

Some of the events Garcia and the team at Security One have participated in include:
- a bilingual presentation on the financial system to nearly 50 Hispanic church members
- a presentation on the importance of saving to 20 middle and high school students
- partnering with the local Head Start program to share information on basic budgeting
- sessions on how to build credit and secure auto financing

Garcia and the Security One team is also working closely with local groups to host an upcoming 4-day mobile event to help Hispanics secure the identification documents they need
for financial services, like checking and savings accounts, as well as auto, home and business loans and Security One’s “Faith” accounts. “It can take a month or more for Hispanics to get an appointment at the Mexican consulate for a Matricula card,” said Garcia. “Through the mobile event, we help 200 to 300 people per day signed up for Matricula ID cards each day. That’s the kind of effort that makes a real difference.”

As with any new program, it’s important not to recreate the wheel when developing financial literacy initiatives. To get started, you can utilize resources and opportunities available through community partnerships, Coopera and other industry partners to supplement your programs. As Garcia and Security One have proved, networking and community involvement are vital in a credit union’s outreach efforts.

Other resources readily available to your credit union include:

Spanish Seminars in a Box

Each Spanish Seminar in a Box contains culturally relevant Spanish content for your seminar and all of the materials you need to facilitate a successful session. All you need to do is add the presenter and have your outreach plan in place.
- Basic Steps to Managing Your Money: Spanish electronic member seminar kit
- Access to Money with Credit:  Spanish electronic member seminar kit

El Poder es Tuyo Updates
-
4/15: How to use your tax refund
- 4/22: Don’t be a victim of tax ID theft
- 4/29: What you need to know about for profit colleges
- 5/6: How the credit union can help your family
- 5/13: Preparing financially for the unexpected

Hispanic Outreach Webinars
-
How to Create Culturally Relevant and Compliant Marketing Messages to Hispanics: May 7 at 2 p.m. CST
-
3 Ways to Repackage a Credit Builder Loan for Hispanic Members: June 12 at 2 p.m. CST
-
3 Ways to Partner with Hispanic Businesses: September 17 at 2 p.m. CST
-
3 Ways to Create an Inclusive Culture to Serve Hispanics: Archived until August 20
-
4 Key Non-Traditional IDs You Can Accept to Open New Accounts: Archived until September 13
-
Adapting Products and Services to Serving Immigrant Markets Archived until October

International Credit Union Leadership Program
The International Credit Union Leadership Program brings emerging leaders from around the world to various credit unions, both in the U.S. and abroad, for intensive short-term credit union internships designed to broaden their professional expertise.

The program is designed to facilitate idea exchanges, promote foreign language development, enhance cultural diversity and improve problem-solving skills as they relate to global credit union development and management. The program also focuses on helping credit unions find new ways to attract young members.

- Apr. 7-May 11, 2013: Costa Rican participants intern in Alabama, Florida, Oregon or Washington
- June 9-22, 2013: U.S. participants intern in Costa Rica
- Oct. 6-Nov. 9, 2013: Brazilian participants intern in Texas, Oregon or Washington
- Jan. 12-25, 2014: U.S. participants intern in Brazil

Leave a comment

Common Misconceptions about Cinco de Mayo & the Hispanic Culture

Posted by on April 16, 2013

Sometimes referred to as the “Mexican St. Patrick’s Day,” Cinco de Mayo (held each year on May 5th) is one of the most misunderstood holidays we celebrate in the U.S., even by people of Mexican heritage.

Despite its reputation, Cinco de Mayo does not mark Mexico’s Independence Day. That is celebrated on September 16, the day in 1810 when Father Miguel Hidalgo took to his pulpit in Dolores, Querétaro, and urged his congregation to join him in efforts to overthrow the Spanish tyranny in Mexico. The celebration is also known in Mexico as El Grito de Dolores or “Cry of Dolores.”

Cinco de Mayo is actually a regional holiday in Mexico, called El Día de la Batalla de Puebla, celebrating Mexico’s victory over the French on May 5, 1862, during the Battle of Puebla in the American Civil War. Although Cinco de Mayo is a big holiday in Puebla, it is actually celebrated more in the U.S. than it is in most of Mexico. In the U.S., Cinco de Mayo is celebrated with parades and festivals that offer plenty of traditional Mexican food, cold beverages and music for participants. The holiday has really become more about celebrating the Mexican way of life than about remembering a battle that happened 150 years ago in Mexico.

Just as there is a misconception about Cinco de Mayo, there are also common misconceptions about Hispanics and the Hispanic culture of which credit unions looking to better serve this market should be aware. These include:

- All Hispanics are Mexican. “Hispanic” is a U.S. Census term often used to refer to people of Latin American and Spanish origin regardless of race. U.S. Hispanics have roots in 21
Latin American countries, including Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, South or Central America. Some areas of the U.S. have higher population concentrations of Mexicans, like California and Texas, but others like New York have a stronger Puerto Rican and Dominican presence.

- All Hispanics are Catholic. About 62 percent of Hispanics are Catholic, but there is a growing conversion rate from Catholicism to other religions. In fact, the Mormon church recently reported the number of Spanish-speaking Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints congregations in the U.S. rose from 389 in 2000 to more than 760 at present. According to a Pew Hispanic survey, 83 percent of Hispanics claim a religious affiliation, and one in five (19 percent) say they are Protestant. Fourteen percent of Hispanics say that although they are religious, they are unaffiliated with a particular religion.

-Hispanics speak several different forms of Spanish. While not all Hispanics speak Spanish, Spanish is the overarching language for many Latin American countries. According to Pew Research, more than 80 percent of Hispanic adults say they speak Spanish. Even though there are cultural nuances in the Spanish language, there are not completely different forms of the language in Latin American countries — the basic language structure of Spanish is shared.

That said, there may be different colloquialisms or words, phrases or statements, unique to a certain culture or region. To best serve your local Hispanic community, it is important to learn the make-up of the local population. Coopera can help with a comprehensive market analysis.

Rest assured, however, the basics of the Spanish language will be understood by your Hispanic members regardless of the Latin American country from which they hail.

-All Hispanics are poor immigrants. Not all Hispanics are immigrants (foreign nationals born outside of the U.S.), and the U.S. Census Bureau reported that there were over 2.1 million Hispanics in the U.S. with personal income over $65,000 in 2011. Today, the U.S. Hispanic population is made up of multiple generations of people from different countries of origin, from different income levels and different life experiences. Each Hispanic in the U.S. today can claim his/her own characteristics, beliefs and behaviors.

The Hispanic market in the U.S. is rapidly growing and changing, which presents important opportunities for credit unions that invest the time and resources in preparation for further expansion. One way to learn more, and to prepare your staff, is by investing in a resource like CUNA’s training-on-demand resource Hispanic Immigration Course. By becoming more familiar with the nuances of the Hispanic population, credit unions will be better positioned to provide for these members’ needs.

Leave a comment

Vote for Morrow!

Posted by on April 9, 2013

Please join us in voting for Warren Morrow, founder and late CEO of Coopera, to be the recipient of Credit Union Magazine’s 2013 “CU Hero of the Year” award. The four nominees for this year’s award exemplify the credit union philosophy of “people helping people” and have truly gone the extra mile to extend credit union service in their communities.

Mr. Morrow founded Coopera with the belief that Hispanics need credit unions as much as credit unions need Hispanics.  He believed deeply in helping underserved Hispanics receive dignified financial services. By bringing financial stability to a home, Mr. Morrow believed, you could begin to address other social issues. Sadly, Mr. Morrow passed away in February, 2012.

To learn more about Mr. Morrow, read A Man of Integrity, written by Mark Condon, CUNA’s Senior Vice President, Business and Consumer Publishing, as well as Credit Union Magazine’s recent article on Mr. Morrow “Latino CU Visionary Leaves Legacy.”

Help us honor Mr. Morrow as “CU Hero of the Year,” CLICK HERE TO VOTE TODAY! No login needed. Voting is open until May 17.

Please help us spread the word by sharing the message through your personal network and social media connections. Thank you!

Leave a comment

The Importance of First-Hand Experience with the Cultures We Serve

Posted by on April 2, 2013

As one of 11 credit union young professionals selected to participate in the January 2013 International Leadership Program through the World Council of Credit Unions, I was honored to have the opportunity to spend time at the COOPACRENE Credit Union in Neyba, Dominican Republic.

Through my role as Client Account Coordinator at Coopera, I have had the great privilege of working with outstanding credit union professionals around the U.S. One of the greatest joys of my work is seeing someone learn, or having their eyes opened, through a new experience, especially when it includes insight into a different culture. Although each of us had a different experience in the Dominican Republic, we walked away with an overwhelming sense of thankfulness that we were given this opportunity to immerse ourselves in the culture and participate in the our host families’ and credit unions’ daily activities. Time after time during this trip, I saw the eyes of my fellow travelers light up from something they learned or experienced.

It is a Coopera best practice to participate in international exchange programs, such as this one, for these very reasons — because by better understanding the different cultures we serve, we can better help our clients serve their customers. It’s a win-win situation. Also, I have observed on so many occasions that first-hand experiences help us all grow professionally and personally, often in ways we can’t predict.

After the recent trip to the Dominican Republic, I recognized the potential for more credit union professionals to participate in these types of international exchange programs. And here are 10 reasons why:

1. Exposure to new cultures and/or a deeper understanding of cultures

2. Enhance language skills and/or learn a new language

3. Learn credit union best practices to take back to home credit union

4. Share best practices with host credit union

5. Develop a global perspective on the credit union movement

6. Networking opportunities with credit union professionals around the U.S.

7. Develop sensitivity to other people from other cultures coming to the U.S.

8. Make lifetime friendships and memories

9. Personal and professional development

10. Take a risk and challenge yourself to think outside the box

The World Council of Credit Unions has several upcoming opportunities to have international experience in Costa Rica, Ecuador and Brazil. Visit http://www.woccu.org/events for more information.

For 13 days in January 2013, 11 young credit union professionals were selected to participate in the International Credit Union Leadership Program. This trip was made possible by a grant from the U.S. State Department, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of Citizen Exchanges, and part of the larger U.S. Department of State Professional Fellows Program.

Each was placed in a different credit union or credit union association across the Dominican Republic. From Iowa, Traci Stiles, Business Development Manager at Des Moines Metro Credit Union in Des Moines, Iowa, was placed at the newest credit union in the Dominican Republic, CoopOriental; Erin O’Hern, Compliance Attorney at PolicyWorks, was placed with COOPBUENO; Anna Peña, Client Account Coordinator at Coopera, was placed at COOPACRENE.

Highlights from their experience have been shared in a series of blog posts.

Leave a comment

Case Study: Promoting Economic Justice

Posted by on March 26, 2013

What follows is a case study excerpt from the Hispanic Opportunity Report developed as part of the California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues’ newly formed partnership with Coopera.

Hispanic outreach has been an important part of Santa Cruz Community Credit Union’s (SCCCU) mission since it was founded in 1977. Today, 35 percent of the credit union’s 11,500 members identify themselves as Hispanic.

Certified as a community-development credit union, as well as a low-income credit union, SCCCU’s founders believed in empowering those who have been marginalized by the status quo, including those in the Hispanic community. From inception, SCCCU’s leaders have made it the credit union’s goal to promote positive social and economic change in the communities they serve.

“Promoting economic justice is about ensuring our members have access to financial services, financial education, and most importantly, capital,” said Beth Carr, SCCCU’s CEO. “While not all of our Hispanic members are low income, a good portion of them live and work in low-income areas.

“It is our mission to make sure these members have full access to economic opportunities and resources to make effective financial decisions,” continued Carr. “It is our goal that members realize their dreams for income, housing, education and business ownership.”

According to Carr, SCCCU’s Hispanic outreach is composed of several facets, including financial education and counseling, partnerships with local Hispanic non-profit organizations, tailored lending programs and low-cost financial products, as well as bilingual staffing and marketing materials.

Financial education and counseling
SCCCU offers financial education workshops to members and non-members in the community. These programs are geared toward helping people understand the basics of budgeting and saving, the benefits of banking, how to manage credit and debt, as well as how to read credit reports and understand scoring.

For example, the credit union has conducted financial education workshops through partnerships with the Watsonville Law Center, La Manzana Community Resource Center and El Pajaro Community Development Center. Because these workshops are tailored specifically for Hispanic attendees, they are conducted in Spanish and cover topics like the benefits of banking and having bank accounts, how to develop a saving and spending plan, understanding debt and consumer rights and responsibilities. Over the last three years, an average of 85 new clients signed up for these programs each year, said Carr.

“The credit union has a large segment of members who are check cashers,” said Carr. “These members do use their savings account and apply for loans; therefore, building educational programs that include financial stability for our members is critical.”

Carr continued, “These financial education programs have been well-received by the Hispanic community. Our outreach efforts have built relationships with people who are often distrustful of financial institutions. Outreach and education have combined to position SCCCU as a community partner and advocate.”

In 2011, SCCCU workshops reached more than 1,600 people, and by the end of the third quarter of 2012, their programs had helped an additional 1,515 people. Carr estimates that 40 to 50 percent of their workshop participants are Hispanic.

Community partnerships
Over the years, SCCCU has participated in a number of joint outreach efforts with non-profit organizations serving the Hispanic community. Much of the credit union’s community development work is implemented through Santa Cruz Community Ventures, the 501(c)(3) affiliate of SCCCU.

“Working closely with local organizations with deep connections to our Hispanic community is key,” said Carr. “These partnerships provide a conduit for our credit union to do financial education, teach the value of saving, borrowing and credit building, as well as help underserved Hispanic members open accounts in a safe environment.

“The most wonderful thing about having these partnerships,” continued Carr, “is that we have many successful Hispanic business owners and partnerships led by well-off and highly educated Hispanic community members. Not only are they well connected to the needs of the community, they also help us develop effective inroads to reaching people. It’s a win-win.”

Through Santa Cruz Community Ventures, SCCCU has a strong leadership role in “ChildCare Ventures” — a program in collaboration with the Central Coast Small Business Development Center, El Pajaro Community Development Corporation, the Human Resources agency of Santa Cruz and the Santa Cruz County Office of Education Child Development Resource Center. This program is designed to ensure local communities have access to the necessary childcare services working families so desperately need. And according to Carr, the credit union also manages a childcare loan program that supports local childcare businesses.

“We believe childcare programs must have access to business management training and funding in order to keep pace with the rapidly increasing childcare needs,” said Carr. “The ChildCare Venture program includes assistance in facilities development, land use and real estate, as well as gains appropriate loan products.”

Also, SCCCU recently hosted a Mexican Consulate’s Matricula Consular ID event. SCCCU team members were on hand during the event to support the Consulate’s staff as they worked to sign up Mexican residents for proper identification, as well as to provide financial education and counseling when possible. According to Carr, the event was a big success: 600 people attended the event to get identification cards, and in the weeks following the event, account openings in SCCCU’s Watsonville branch increased nearly 5 percent as a result of the credit union’s participation.

Lending programs and low-cost financial products
Due to no credit or poor credit, low income or a lack of understanding about the right financial tools, access to loans continues to be a challenge to a significant segment of our Hispanic community, said Carr.

“We want to be a part of the solution and are in the process of developing metrics to help us measure our efforts,” continued Carr. “We plan to reach out to the farm communities with more power in the future, and we are laying some preliminary groundwork for this effort right now.”

In addition to their extensive financial education outreach effort, SCCCU has expanded their lending programs through community partnerships and grant funds, such as OFN Jobs USA and the CDFI, to help low-income and economically challenged individuals and businesses. And, the credit union offers VITA — a free tax assistance service to help its members and community claim tax credits without having to pay any preparation fees; they also have a pay-day loan alternative program.

Another of SCCCU’s lending programs, Roses, allows for the opening of no-interest savings accounts for individuals without social security numbers. According to Carr, most banks in their county require two forms of ID for customers to open an account, but SCCCU members can establish a Roses account with only one form of ID, typically their Matricular Consular card.

SCCCU also offers Individual Development Accounts (IDA) to help members start saving for key life goals, like higher education, buying a home or starting a business. Participants are required to complete money management courses and training related to their specific financial goals, as well as to put money toward their goal into their savings account each month. When account holders reach their savings goals, the program matches their funds dollar for dollar to double their return.

According to Carr, SCCCU has 104 members enrolled in the IDA program, and of those participants, 30-40 percent are Hispanic.

Bilingual staffing and marketing materials
To best serve its Hispanic membership population, approximately 55 percent of the credit union’s staff members are bilingual. And, SCCCU publishes a bilingual, online quarterly newsletter that contains useful news and educational content, as well as information on promotional offers, to keep members up-to-date on special enrichment programs and the credit union’s community involvement efforts.

Also, according to Carr, SCCCU’s marketing department makes sure marketing materials within the branches are available in both English and Spanish. “These materials help establish a welcoming and inviting environment for Hispanic members by creating a more language-neutral atmosphere,” added Carr. “For example, we maintain bilingual brochures on topics like identity theft — these materials help our Hispanic members understand their rights, and they provide them with the tools to resolve problems related to this type of fraud.

“We believe everyone should have the chance to begin a new chapter toward personal sustainability,” concluded Carr. “Through our community partnerships and resources, we are able to help members achieve success in their life plans. Our Hispanic members have expressed their appreciation for our efforts to promote their financial well-being, and we continue to be proud of the work we are doing to support this vitally important segment of our community.”

Leave a comment

Experiencing the Nuances of the Dominican Republic Culture First-Hand

Posted by on March 19, 2013

Guest blog post by Erin O’Hern, Compliance Attorney, PolicyWorks LLC

In January, I had the opportunity to go to the Dominican Republic and participate in the International Credit Union Leadership Program with 11 other credit union professionals from across the U.S. It was an amazing experience that really opened my eyes to the unique culture that drives the Dominican Republic.

Because many incorrectly assume all Hispanic people are similar, I wanted to share some of the insights I gained, into the Dominican culture specifically, during my trip.

Family
In the Dominican Republic, the definition of family is much broader than in the U.S. I may call my co-workers good friends, but the credit union employees at COOPBUENO call each other family — and they mean it. For example, the 8-year-old daughter of my host family could name each employee of the credit union, and even some of their relatives. For each person, she could also tell me funny stories about her personal experiences with them. When I was eight, I knew some of my dad’s co-workers (I even had nicknames for a few… “The One with the Beard” for example), but could never have told you each co-worker’s life story.

Taking the time to socialize is very important in the Dominican Republic. Each morning, and before the employees leave in the evening, they stop at their co-workers’ desks to shake hands and ask a few questions about how things were at home or how the day was going. I worry I may have offended several employees at the credit union the first few days when I only said, “Hello, how are you?” and waved from across the lobby.

And, the phrase “Mi casa es su casa” (My home is your home) is not an exaggeration in the Dominican Republic. It was not uncommon during my visit there for my host family and I to stop by a co-worker’s house to say hello and possibly share dinner. Then, of course, we visited the co-worker’s parent’s house, as well as the in-law’s house.

Housing
In the Dominican Republic, it is very unusual for the next generation to move out of their parent’s house before they are married. In fact, the universities do not have dormitories because students either live at home or with a relative while they are studying. After attending a university, many graduates will live with their parents while they are beginning their careers.

When I asked credit union employees about this, they all said it was a big part of their culture and a widely accepted practice. Although limited available housing and financial challenges do play a part in this custom, no one I talked with mentioned these as the main reason for remaining at home with their parents.

When I mentioned to my host parents in the U.S. that a large portion of college students live either in dormitories on campus or in nearby apartments, and that young, unmarried professionals often live by themselves or with roommates, they asked why someone would need to move out of their parent’s house before marriage? They also suggested that it is too easy for young people to get into trouble by leaving their parent’s house so soon.

Food
Food is very important in the Dominican culture. Although, they do have specific dishes to represent a specific celebration or special gathering, such as sancocho (a multi-meat, multi vegetable stew), it is unusual for them not to have rice and beans for lunch every day. In the U.S., it would be difficult for many to select just a few food choices that are part of our cultural identity. For example, people may associate apple pie (or if you live in Iowa, corn) as an all-American food. But, it is easy to find people in the U.S. who do not like to eat apple pie. Interestingly enough, I could not find one person in the Dominican Republic who did not eat rice and beans. In fact, many were shocked to learn that before visiting their country, I had not eaten beans in over a year.

I also observed that meal times are very different in the Dominican culture. Lunch is the largest meal in the Dominican Republic and can often last for several hours (depending on whether the person’s work hours allow it). And, meal times are another opportunity for families to spend time together. In fact, many people chose to eat at home as often as possible. For example, my host family’s children ate lunch in the home each day.

Another reason food is important in Dominican culture is because they take pride in preparing it for their families. In many cases, meals are not as easy to prepare as they are in the U.S. because not every family has modern appliances in their kitchens. Even refrigeration can be an issue with power fluctuations, and families living in campos or barrios may not have electricity at all.

The Dominican culture is a great example of hard working people that care deeply about their family, friends and neighbors. The spirit of the credit union movement compliments their community goals perfectly.

Service to Hispanic members is not only critical for the success of today’s U.S. credit union movement, it is vital for bringing more Hispanic Americans — a largely underserved group — into the financial mainstream. Yet the Hispanic segment has many nuances; Dominican just one among many. This is part of the reason Hispanic outreach is so challenging — but also so rewarding. While it is difficult to better understand your Hispanic members, the potential reward is great.

For 13 days in January 2013, 11 young credit union professionals were selected to participate in the International Credit Union Leadership Program, made possible by a grant from the U.S. State Department, World Council of Credit Unions and the support of the participants’ respective leagues and credit unions.

Each was placed in a different credit union or credit union association across the Dominican Republic. From Iowa, Traci Stiles, Business Development Manager at Des Moines Metro Credit Union in Des Moines, Iowa, was placed at the newest credit union in the Dominican Republic, CoopOriental; Erin O’Hern, Compliance Attorney at PolicyWorks, was placed with COOPBUENO; Anna Peña, Client Account Coordinator at Coopera, was placed at COOPACRENE.

 Highlights from their experience will be shared in a series of blog posts.

Leave a comment