Here’s something you don’t see every day: a financial institution getting national recognition for actually making money management approachable.
TRUE Community Credit Union just walked away from the Credit Union Financial Education Network (CUFEN) awards with three trophies, and they earned them by doing something radical—teaching people about finance without inducing instant boredom.
For the 2025-2026 school year, TRUECCU’s Financial Education and Community Impact teams took home some serious hardware. They nabbed first place for “Most Student Presentations Delivered,” second place for “Most Students Reached,” and third place for “Most Adult Presentations”—all within their asset size category. Translation? They’ve been busy turning financial literacy from a snooze-fest into something people actually want to learn about.
The secret sauce, according to Director of Community Partnerships Janelle Merritt, is pretty straightforward: make it fun, keep it real, and ditch the complexity.
“This recognition is a testament to the creativity, passion, and dedication our team shows up with every day,” Merritt explained. “We believe the best learning happens when people are having fun. Our goal is to change financial education from being complicated to building confidence. We’re honored by this recognition and energized for what comes next.”
It’s a philosophy that clearly resonates. Instead of drowning people in financial jargon and complicated spreadsheets, the TRUECCU team focuses on giving folks the practical knowledge and tools they need to make smart money decisions without feeling like they need an MBA first.
Merritt and Lorrie Dettloff, TRUECCU’s Financial Education Coordinator, accepted the awards at the CUFEN Conference in San Antonio, held July 26-29. The event brought together credit union professionals from across the country—all committed to strengthening their financial wellness expertise and sharing what works.
The bottom line? TRUECCU is proving that financial education doesn’t have to feel like homework. When you meet people where they are and make learning accessible, everybody wins.