2015 Applicant: Joshua Poole
Joshua Poole is a 34-year-old Chief Lending Officer of Breco Federal Credit Union ($47M) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States.
Project Title
Power in Financial Freedom
Short Pitch
In a world of economic uncertainty and personal hardship, financial literacy holds the key to success.
Synopsis
In my years within the credit union industry, I have found that many of my members have struggled with the idea of finances. They have experienced challenges in creating and maintaining a budget, or have failed to understand the importance of creating and maintaining a strong credit report and score. This lack of knowledge has caused financial hardship for many of them. Further, I have found that for many, this lack of understanding began in their youth. They were not taught these basic building blocks for financial success. What is perhaps more unsettling is that this trend continues today.
Statistics show that the majority of our young people have not taken basic financial literacy courses. They do not know what a credit union is and how strong of a financial partner these institutions can be. In order to combat this issue, I have had the opportunity to partner with several local high schools in implementing a financial literacy program. In this program, taught within a teacher's normal curriculum, students have been taught the difference between a credit union and a bank, and how a credit union can be an excellent choice as their financial partner. Students have been taught the basics of budgeting, credit reports, credit scores, and how to properly borrow money. My hope is to continue to expand this program and empower the financial lives of our members and community for years to come.
