Awarded the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation’s Alphonse Desjardins Adult Financial Education Award

A recognition of its leadership’s commitment to financial literacy for all, Family Trust Federal Credit Union (Family Trust) was recently awarded the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation’s Alphonse Desjardins Adult Financial Education Award. An application-based nomination through America's Credit Unions’ state-level award programs (formerly the Credit Union National Association), the Financial Education Award emphasizes the importance of economic understanding for credit union members and nonmembers.

“At Family Trust, we believe in people helping people,” said Ryan Harvey, president and CEO of Family Trust. “That includes everyone in the communities we serve, whether they are a member or not. It is an honor to be recognized for our dedication to creating a brighter financial future for all.”

Throughout 2024, Family Trust partnered with Family Promise of York County and Pilgrim’s Inn to deliver targeted financial literacy courses, all of which were led by certified credit union financial counselors. Recognizing the correlation between monetary skills and income levels, Family Trust worked to address the needs of one of South Carolina’s most vulnerable populations – those experiencing homelessness. The initiative provided in-depth education on budgeting, saving and credit improvement – three crucial skills for achieving economic stability – and introduced participants to the credit union’s Fresh Start account, designed to help individuals with past account closures reenter the fiscal system.

Family Trust further demonstrated its commitment to empowering underserved populations through economic knowledge by partnering with additional community organizations, including Pilgrim’s Inn, Habitat for Humanity, and Saluda Trail Middle School, for financial skills workshops. As a result of the credit union’s initiatives, the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation’s board of volunteers selected Family Trust for its 2024 Alphonse Desjardins Adult Financial Education Award.