YOUR WEEKLY UPDATE FROM MONTANA'S CREDIT UNIONS | May 29, 2020
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So, I hope I don't conjure up a June snowstorm, but it seems that summer arrived this week just in time for the second phase of Montana's reopening. You've all got processes and plans in place; still, it's hard to know exactly what to expect in the coming weeks and months. This newsletter highlights a number of things to help you and your staff as we move closer to "business as usual." And, if there's anything we at MCU can do for you,
just let us know
!
Stay safe and, if you can, get outside and enjoy a bit of Montana this weekend.
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EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
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The State of Montana launched an Emergency Housing Assistance program to offer mortgage payment and/or hazard insurance assistance to Montanans who have lost a job or substantial income loss as a result of COVID-19. Our Banking Commissioner Melanie Hall sent out a memo this week that strongly encouraged credit unions (and other financial institutions) to
review the program
and ask staff to promote it to your members who need the relief.
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Credit unions will receive valuable information on best practices in BSA programs and avoiding pitfalls from non-compliance during NCUA's webinar
The Bank Secrecy Act: Review and Reminders
. The 90-minute webinar is June 17 at 1 p.m. MDT. Read the
press release
for more details and the link to register.
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As we move into Phase 2, it's a good time to review
our blog on what directors can ask to make sure their CEO is prepared to make the best decisions for the credit union.
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Our
current blog
takes a look at how supporting your local businesses will not only help them weather this crisis, but help your entire community.
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YOUR DUES DOLLARS AT WORK
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LET'S REDEFINE WELL-BEING
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Yesterday, thanks to her work with the MCUL Trust,
Dr. Laura Ciel
held her webinar "Let's Redefine Well-Being." She led participants through an integrated framework that they could use to expand their well-being both at home and on the job. We
recorded the session
, so that those who weren't able to attend could still benefit.
We've got more learning opportunities designed to help strengthen credit union teams amid the COVID crisis and recovery coming up, so stay tuned.
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HELP US ADVOCATE FOR CREDIT UNIONS — SHARE YOUR STORY?
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The support that Montana credit unions have been providing their members these past months is of great interest to lawmakers and the press. It's an amazing opportunity for advocacy and building awareness of the #CUDifference, but we need stories from the frontline. We’d love to hear how you helped out a member — to make it easy, we've put a
form on our website
for you to use.
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June brings a couple of great opportunities for all of you Montana YPers to connect with your peers:
- JUNE 9 — QUARTERLY ZOOM MEET-UP: Montana's HYPE community is meeting via Zoom at 10 a.m. MDT on June 9. The featured speaker is Jeremy Presta, president and CEO of Park Side CU. He'll be talking about leadership. As the youngest person ever to be named CEO of a Montana credit union, Jeremy's got some great advice for growing your career as a credit union young professional. Register for the Zoom call.
- JUNE 18 — COFFEE + CRASHERS: Ever been to a virtual coffee meeting? Well join us for our first one on June 18 at 1 p.m. MDT. Cortney Angeley of the Cooperative Trust will be facilitating the meeting, and we'll be discussing different angles on the current pandemic situation — it promises to be a great way to learn about the various ways we are all affected! Use the password "CRASH" to join the Zoom meeting.
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THINGS TO PONDER WHEN REOPENING
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CONSIDER THE HUMBLE WEBINAR
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Training your staff doesn’t have to be costly or time consuming! The CU Webinar Network delivers the credit-union-specific training your staff needs without having to worry about traveling or excess cost. Register now for any of the
upcoming webinars
, and be sure to check out the list of
recorded webinars
.
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THiNK VIRTUAL POWER LUNCHES
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To continue the conversation and insight-sharing that took place at THiNK 20 Virtual, CO-OP is now offering the THiNK Virtual Power Lunch series. Throughout the year, CO-OP will host live discussions on a variety of topics featuring industry experts. During the first session, experts from CO-OP and Accenture will discuss how COVID-19 is impacting payments and what credit unions can do to meet their members' needs. It's scheduled for June 11 at noon MDT.
Get more information and register
.
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EDUCATION, EVENTS, & OTHER INTERESTING STUFF
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We've got new webinars and other resources on
our website
. Check back early and often!
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DON'T GO BONKERS … GO BANZAI!
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Work from home orders and school closures have challenged Montana parents and given the word "homework" a whole new meaning. When it comes to financial education, though,
Park Side CU
has kids 8 and up covered… with Banzai. The financial literacy software makes learning real-life financial skills fun and, thanks to Park Side, it's available for anyone in the Flathead Valley who wants to use it. VP of Marketing Josh Kroll says that Banzai aligns with the credit union mission and "is a wonderful tool to help communities and households. It is beneficial to students but also anyone who wants to work with them.” The Whitefish Pilot
wrote about this
in April, noting that it was a great tool for parents who are teaching from home. So true! But, the program's popularity isn't just a recent thing. Last year 38 teaches led 1,140 students through the program after signing up with the service through Park Side CU. Thanks Park Side! — you're living up to your core value of "making fun" — not an easy thing in these shaky economic times.
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You might not be quite ready to plunge into an awards submission yet, but we got the word last week that CUNA has extended the submission deadline for its annual awards programs until July 31. So we wanted to let you know. If you have a program that demonstrates excellence in social responsibility, the credit union philosophy, and financial education consider applying. Montana has so many credit unions who shine in these areas, so check out the application process at
CUNA Awards
, and apply for one (or more). The Dora Maxwell, Louise Herring, or Alphonse DesJardins awaits! If you need assistance or a little encouragement,
reach out to Kendra
.
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For those of you unfamiliar with the Cure, here’s a
little taste of their music
...and here’s a little history: they were formed in the late 1970’s with distinctive rocker
Robert James Smith
as their lead singer (and only continuous member of the band, which is still performing). Smith was influential in the goth subculture. The Cure was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.
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This is an internal publication of Montana's Credit Unions intended for our affiliated credit unions and their official family. For more information, call us or visit our website.
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Montana's Credit Unions | 800-745-5547 | montanascreditunions.coop
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