GoWest 2024 Awards: Member Program Finalists Create Value For Their Communities

Posted by Alyse Knudsen on August 21, 2024

This year’s GoWest Awards include both credit union program and individual categories: Employee Experience, Member Program, Community Impact, Cooperation in Action, Young Professional, Distinguished Director, Summit Advocate, and Summit Icon. With a record number of nominations submitted for the eight award categories, the Recognition Advisory Group worked hard to evaluate the many outstanding submissions received. 

With the MAXX 2024 Awards Dinner and Gala in Denver just two months away, we are excited to share more about the finalists in the credit union program categories.  

This week, we are highlighting the finalists in the Member Program category. This award Recognizes a credit union that has developed an initiative, business model, program, or service that addresses the local, social, cultural, or economic needs that are specific to the credit union’s membership. 

Congratulations to the finalists in the Member Program category!  

Canopy Credit Union

Canopy Credit Union’s financial coaching program provides free financial education sessions to credit union members and non-members. With more than 800 sessions – in-person and over the phone – with Canopy’s financial coaches since the program was created in 2020, the program grew extensively in 2023 with 17 team members passing their financial coaching certification test. At a financial coaching session, individuals share their story, define their goals for the future, and make a plan together on how to get there. 

Columbia Credit Union

Columbia Credit Union developed the Overdraft Kindness program to address the fact that overdrafts happen and charging more of what members are already struggling to save doesn’t help anyone. Overdraft Kindness absorbs the burden of operating fees typically passed on to members when an account goes negative and focuses on ways to bring that account positive again while providing resources to keep it positive in the future.  

First Tech Federal Credit Union

 In 2023, First Tech partnered with Youth Villages Oregon, a nonprofit that works alongside youth as they move out of foster care and into adulthood, to launch the Youth Villages Foster Youth Savings Program. Through this program, youth affiliated with the nonprofit between the ages of 13-17 can open a First Tech Start-Up Checking and Start-Up Savings account, along with a Membership Savings account, and those 18 and over can open any of First Tech’s other checking and savings accounts.  

Winners in all categories will be announced at the GoWest Awards Dinner & Gala on Oct. 16 at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Denver.  

Register for MAXX 2024 today and get ready to celebrate!  

Posted in MAXX, Top Headlines.