About the CUNA Awards

The Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award is given to a credit union or chapter/multiple credit union group for its social responsibility projects within the community. The award is given for external activities that help other people or strengthen the structure of a community. Examples include raising funds for charity, educational activities, or community involvement projects, such as a volunteer fair, building low-income housing, or loaning employees a few hours a week to work in hospitals, retirement homes, schools, and the like.

The Louise Herring Philosophy in Action Award is given to a credit union for practical application of credit union philosophy within the actual operation of the credit union. It is awarded for internal programs and services that benefit membership, including programs or policies that demonstrate their commitment to the practical application of the "People-Helping-People" philosophy. Practical examples include: provisions for the small saver or borrower; member programs for groups that are often economically challenged; internal programs or services that help to differentiate the credit union from other financial services' providers; programs that do an extraordinary job of encouraging thrift and provide a source of unbiased money management and consumer information, especially if difficult or impossible to obtain elsewhere; and evidence of an exceptional degree of service to members.

The Desjardins Financial Education Awards recognize leadership within credit unions on behalf of financial literacy for all ages. The awards consider all activities supporting personal finance education of members and non-members, including face-to-face teaching using proprietary materials and curricula, and financial literacy leadership.

First-place winners from the state-level program will be forwarded for national judging by CUNA. The Carolinas Credit Union Foundation's Awards Gala for state-level winners will take place on January 31, 2019 during the 2019 Carolinas Credit Union Connect  Conference in Charlotte. Then national winners will be honored at the CUNA Governmental Affairs Conference March 10-13, 2019 in Washington, DC.

Contact the Foundation:

Lauren Whaley, President | 919-600-8219 | E-mail |

The Carolinas Credit Union Foundation was incorporated in 1993 as a charitable organization dedicated to the embodiment of the “people helping people” philosophy of credit unions. Its mission is to enrich the lives of children in the Carolinas. The Foundation is currently partnering with Victory Junction to power its new outreach program called Reach, bringing specialized camp-style programming to children and families year-round at hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses in the Carolinas. It also serves as a partner in philanthropy with credit unions, assisting charitable giving through donor-advised funds, managing scholarship programs, supporting small credit unions with professional development grants, and aiding disaster relief for the local, national, and global credit union communities.