OnPoint Community Credit Union Expands Partnerships with Local Nonprofits to Boost Financial Education

OnPoint Pledges Employee Volunteers and $50,000 Annually

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May 14, 2019, 11:15 ET

PORTLAND, Ore., May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Committed to building strong communities by supporting financial growth and well-being, OnPoint Community Credit Union is expanding its partnerships with the financial education-focused nonprofits Financial Beginnings Oregon and Junior Achievement of Oregon and SW Washington. OnPoint is increasing its long-time support for Financial Beginnings Oregon to $30,000 annually. In April, the credit union trained 50 employees to serve as Financial Beginnings Oregon volunteers through its employer-sponsored volunteer program. OnPoint is also pledging employee volunteers and $20,000 annually to support Junior Achievement of Oregon and SW Washington. By providing Financial Beginnings Oregon and Junior Achievement programming to local schools and community groups, OnPoint employees will teach critical skills to empower people of all ages to own their economic success.

OnPoint volunteers commemorated the credit union’s expanded partnership with Junior Achievement by participating in JA BizTown on April 23, 2019. The event offers 5th grade students a one-day economic simulation within an 8,500 square foot replica of an American city.

"Beyond our commitment of enduring financial support, OnPoint employees made it clear they want to roll up their sleeves and work with our partners in order to live our mission of building strong communities through financial education," said OnPoint President and CEO Rob Stuart. "We have witnessed the powerful impact the work of Financial Beginnings Oregon and Junior Achievement has made in communities across Oregon and SW Washington, and we are proud to grow our partnerships with both organizations."

Financial Beginnings Oregon encourages individuals to play an active role in their financial well-being. The organization achieves this by training volunteers to teach its financial education materials to students of all ages. In 2018, Financial Beginnings Oregon served nearly 32,000 students, and more than 94 percent of those students reported changing their behavior following the class. The organization increases opportunities for financial empowerment by prioritizing low-income and underserved communities.

"OnPoint's increased financial support will allow us to deepen our impact by building infrastructure and making program enhancements to be more responsive to community needs," said Kate Benedict, Executive Director at Financial Beginnings Oregon. "While the financial support is incredibly meaningful, having more OnPoint volunteers is what will bring our curriculum to life and engage students."

OnPoint's employee volunteer program aims to equip more volunteers like Amber Kelly, Oregon City branch manager, who has volunteered with Financial Beginnings for nearly nine years. In 2018 alone, Kelly volunteered more than 57 hours for the organization, including regular sessions with women seeking rehabilitation through the Clackamas County Community Corrections Substance Abuse Program.

"In my career, I encounter many people who have never received basic financial education, and I've witnessed the negative effects that can have on their lives," said Kelly. "I really feel I am making a difference through teaching for Financial Beginnings, and volunteering has made a huge difference in how connected I feel with my community."

On April 23, 15 OnPoint volunteers commemorated the credit union's expanded partnership with Junior Achievement by participating in JA BizTown. The event offers 5th grade students a one-day economic simulation within an 8,500 square foot replica of an American city. Students prepare for weeks prior to the event, with lessons on good citizenship, how an economy works, how to apply for a job and how to run a successful business. OnPoint volunteers will return for another BizTown session on June 5.

Junior Achievement of Oregon and SW Washington is dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future and make smart academic and economic choices. Junior Achievement inspires and prepares young people to succeed in a global economy through relevant, hands-on programs that promote work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy.

ABOUT ONPOINT COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION
OnPoint Community Credit Union is the largest credit union in Oregon, serving more than 364,000 members and with assets of $5.4 billion. Founded in 1932, OnPoint Community Credit Union's membership is available to anyone who lives or works in one of 13 Oregon (Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson, Lane, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Washington and Yamhill) and two Washington counties (Skamania and Clark) and their immediate family members. More information is available at www.onpointcu.com or 503-228-7077 or 800-527-3932.