(January 3, 2008 – New York, NY)  Three CDCU practitioners were among the twenty-two newly certified credit union financial counselors (CCUFCs) announced by CUNA on December 26, 2007.

According to CUNA, the program is designed to teach credit union professionals to help members prevent financial difficulties with responsible money management techniques, as well as how to design and implement a counseling program within their credit unions.

“The Federation has actively promoted financial literacy education and outreach by CDCUs for years, particularly through out Each One, Teach Many, train-the-trainer program,” explained Federation Education and Training Director Pamela Owens, “Through that program we’ve trained over 780 CDCU staff and volunteers, and those trainers have gone on to train nearly 20,000 low-and moderate income individuals in the basics of money management.”

“It’s particularly rewarding to see these CDCUs continue their education and seek out this designation to promote financial literacy in their communities,” Owens added.

The three newly certified CDCU financial counselors are:

• Rebecca Cowan, CCUFC – Church Koinonia FCU (Chattanooga, TN)
• Cynthia Meza, CCUFC – GECU (El Paso, TX)
• Former Federation Board Member, Sharon Saulters, CCUFC – The Triumph Baptist FCU (Philadelphia, PA)

For additional information about the Federation’s train-the-trainer program, please contact Dan Apfel at dapfel@cdcu.coop, or at (800) 437-8711, ext. 220.

To read CUNA’s press release and to see the full list of CCUFCs, please visit: http://www.cuna.org/press/press_releases/ccufc_122607.html.