Credit unions interested in starting a Hispanic outreach programneed to start by asking the right questions, a new report says.

“Credit unions realize that the face of the American consumer ischanging and that to grow membership, they must adapt to their newconsumers, instead of forcing them to adapt to the credit union,”said Miriam De Dios, vice president at Coopera in Des Moines, Iowa, and author of a white paper on successful Hispanic outreach efforts.

According to De Dios the best potential for lowering the averageage of a credit union's membership is by bringing Hispanic membersinto the fold. As a largely underserved group, helping Hispanicmembers navigate the U.S. financial system is an important part ofthe overall credit union mission, she added.