Seeking to be the institution that can tell members "yes," financial education has pervaded every program, product and service offering at St. Louis Community Credit Union.

"We take a completely holistic approach to education," said Treina Lind, assistant vice president of business/community relations at the $194 million credit union. "We make it our mission to not say 'no,' so we do our part to better educate our members while developing products that can help them get to where they need to be not just financially but to help improve their lives. Our education efforts are based in the real-world context of helping our members be in control of their lives rather than being a victim of past poor choices. So they understand that building credit is not just about being able to get a loan but helps with everything, even getting a job since many employers look at credit ratings as part of their background check."

With an eye on delivering programs that meet members' needs, some of the products developed in conjunction with its education efforts include the Freedom Checking account, for those with a bad credit history. Since the introduction of Freedom Checking, over 5,500 accounts have been opened, and 90% of the accounts were still open and actively used.