SPIRE has been named a 2022 Desjardins Financial Education Award winner in Minnesota for both the adult and youth categories. SPIRE has a rich history in financial education having received the Adult Desjardins Award the past eight years and the Youth Desjardins Award each of the last six years.

Sponsored by the Minnesota Credit Union Network (MnCUN) and Credit Union National Association (CUNA), both award entries will now move on to the national competition. 

The Adult Desjardins award recognizes SPIRE’s partnership with the Hubert H. Humphrey (HHH) Job Corps, the largest, nationwide residential career-training program and free for income-eligible students. 

SPIRE and the HHH Job Corps in St. Paul, MN collaborated on the development of Budgeting and Obtaining/Building Credit classes for all incoming students.  Since its launch in late 2021, over 100 students and staff members have taken nearly 85 hours of personal finance training from SPIRE. 

SPIRE’s “Building Financial Freedom” program garnered the Youth Desjardins award.  SPIRE’s entry highlighted its long-standing partnership with BestPrep, and new partnerships with Marcy Arts Magnet Elementary School, and Centro Tyrone Guzman.  Live video classes were offered on Money Uses, Mapping Your Financial Journey, and SMART Financial Decisions.

SPIRE has been providing financial wellness education to children and adults of all ages for more than 15 years.  The award is named in honor of Alphonse Desjardins, founder of the North American credit union movement, and ardent believer in the value of teaching children to save.

"Concern for Community is the driving force behind our financial wellness programs,” said Dan Stoltz, SPIRE President/CEO, “We strive to improve quality of life within our communities by helping people realize financial freedom!”