“ We ’ re out there because we truly believe that a stronger REV makes a stronger community ”
ZAC STREELMAN CTO , REV FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
REV : Boosting community connection with financial literacy Building community connections is at the heart of everything REV does , it is even accredited for its work by being a registered community development financial institution ( CDFI ).
“ We are dedicated to serving the unbanked and underbanked . We try to fulfil this mission by completing a lot of philanthropy work in our communities . We have an annual REV day , which saw over 1,200 volunteer hours in just a single 24 hours .
“ It ’ s about relationships , not just branding . We ’ re not just out there trying to get noticed .
We ’ re out there because we truly believe that a stronger REV makes a stronger community , and a stronger community will benefit REV .”
For Streelman , the key to building a stronger community – and a stronger REV – is building financial literacy skills in the areas the credit union serves .
“ One of the things we do at REV that I love is run branches inside high schools – branches that are student-led and student-employed . Students get to be REV employees , and they also have the chance to learn a lot about financial literacy while getting paid for doing it .”
A niche , possibly unheard-of innovation , REV ’ s work in local schools is helping the next generation learn how not only finance works , but also how the institutions upholding it operate .
Promoting financial literacy , much like REV ’ s philanthropic efforts , is no mere PR
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