People Driven Credit Union Receives Alloya’s First-Ever Next Chapter Award

We’re honored to be named the first-ever recipient of Alloya Corporate Federal Credit Union’s Next Chapter Award. The award recognizes our work helping young people overcome financial barriers and build stronger financial futures.

The award celebrates PDCU’s financial education initiatives, which have reached more than 100 young people through community partnerships, $166,000 in grant funding, and an additional $30,320 contributed by the credit union.

Announced on October 27, 2026, the recognition is part of Alloya’s 15th anniversary Celebrate Your Story initiative. PDCU received $10,000 through the initial program and was selected for an additional $10,000 charitable award to benefit an organization of its choice.

The recognition also supports an exciting next chapter for PDCU, including plans for a student-run credit union branch at Romeo High School and new opportunities to help children open their first savings accounts.

More than a transaction: Helping young people build stronger financial futures

Since 1928, People Driven Credit Union has been committed to its mission: “Driven to improve the financial lives of the communities we serve.”

As a member-owned financial cooperative, we believe financial services should be about more than transactions. Our members are people with unique experiences, challenges, and goals. Helping them build financial stability is central to what we do.

In 2024, our team recognized a challenge facing many young people in the communities we serve.

While some children grow up with access to family savings, financial guidance, and opportunities to build generational wealth, others enter adulthood without those resources.

We asked ourselves an important question: How can we help young people establish financial independence when they lack access to financial education, savings, or an existing banking relationship?

We knew that creating meaningful opportunities would require additional resources. Rather than allowing budget limitations to prevent us from moving forward, our team pursued grant funding and partnerships with local nonprofit organizations.

The result was a series of financial education programs designed to provide young people with practical money management skills, hands-on banking experience, and ongoing mentorship.

Building opportunity through community partnerships

Our efforts began in 2024 when PDCU secured a $75,000 Money Masters grant through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis.

Through a partnership with the Rhonda Walker Foundation, we provided financial literacy education, banking services, and ongoing mentorship to 34 students.

Building on that success, PDCU secured an additional $75,000 Money Masters grant in 2025 and partnered with Neway Works, Inc., expanding the program to another 30 young people.

Most recently, we received a $16,000 Money Masters+ grant and partnered with Friends of Foster Kids to support 10 young adults aging out of foster care.

Each program focuses on helping participants develop practical financial skills through education, hands-on experience with their accounts, and personalized guidance.

Participants learn about saving money, establishing healthy financial habits, and developing the confidence needed to manage their financial futures.

Our financial education impact

To date, these programs have achieved several important milestones:

• Participants have received comprehensive financial literacy education.
• 74 new accounts have been opened to help young people establish banking relationships.
• $166,000 in grant funding has supported financial education initiatives and community partnerships.
• $30,320 in additional PDCU contributions has helped participants gain hands-on experience establishing emergency savings and investment certificates.

Beyond the financial contributions, our employees dedicated countless hours to making these programs successful. Team members even volunteered their Saturdays to accommodate students’ schedules and ensure participants had access to financial education and guidance.

These efforts reflect the personal commitment behind our mission and the difference our employees strive to make in the communities we serve.

Recognized for the power of cooperation

Alloya’s Next Chapter Award recognizes a credit union whose story demonstrates the positive impact of cooperation on members and communities.

Selected from stories submitted by credit unions across the country, PDCU was named the inaugural recipient for its commitment to financial inclusion, community partnerships, and creating opportunities for future generations.

“People Driven Credit Union’s commitment to breaking barriers to financial inclusion and creating opportunities for future generations is a powerful example of the credit union philosophy in action,” said Todd Adams, Alloya’s Chief Executive Officer. “Their story demonstrates how cooperation, innovation and community partnerships can change lives and create lasting impact.”

As part of its 15th anniversary Celebrate Your Story initiative, Alloya recognized 250 eligible credit unions with $10,000 awards, representing $2.5 million in support for the credit union movement.

In addition to PDCU’s initial $10,000 award, the Next Chapter Award includes a separate $10,000 charitable contribution to an organization selected by PDCU.

We are honored that our efforts to help young people build financial independence were selected for this special recognition.

Looking ahead: A student-run credit union branch at Romeo High School

One of the most exciting opportunities to come from Alloya’s Celebrate Your Story initiative is our plan to bring hands-on financial education directly to Romeo High School.

PDCU plans to use part of its original $10,000 award to support the development of a student-run credit union branch, giving students an opportunity to apply what they’re learning in the classroom to real-world financial services.

What makes this initiative unique is that students from several academic programs will help bring the branch to life.

• Architecture students will help design the branch layout.
• Marketing students will create debit card designs.
• Accounting students will track the results of financial incentives.
• Finance students will develop peer-to-peer financial education lessons for their classmates.

The program is also planned to include paid after-school internships at PDCU’s Romeo branch, providing students with valuable workplace experience and opportunities to explore careers in financial services.

For students who have never had a savings account or received financial guidance at home, this experience could provide an important starting point for building financial independence.

The skills students develop could also strengthen their resumes, scholarship applications, and future career opportunities.

“For us, this award will truly help write the next chapter of our story,” said Julia Kaiser, Community Relationship Manager at People Driven Credit Union. “It will help us continue breaking cycles that have prevented too many young people from building a strong financial foundation. With this funding, we can help more children begin their savings journey and bring our student-run branch concept at Romeo High School to life, empowering students with real-world financial experience that can shape their futures.”

Helping more children open their first savings accounts

In addition to the student-run branch, PDCU plans to use Celebrate Your Story funding to help children whose families may not have the resources to make an initial deposit.

By offering account-opening incentives, we hope to remove one of the financial barriers that can prevent young people from establishing their first banking relationship.

Opening a first savings account can introduce children to important financial concepts, including saving for goals, managing deposits, and understanding how financial institutions work.

Combined with financial education and ongoing guidance, these early experiences can help young people develop positive money management habits that last into adulthood.

Our goal is to make these opportunities more accessible, regardless of a family’s financial circumstances.

Thank you to our members, employees, and community partners

This recognition reflects the dedication of our employees, the support of our community partners, and the trust our members place in People Driven Credit Union.

We are grateful to the Rhonda Walker Foundation, Neway Works, Inc., Friends of Foster Kids, and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis for helping make these financial education programs possible.

We also thank Alloya Corporate Federal Credit Union for recognizing our work and supporting the credit union movement through its Celebrate Your Story initiative.

Most importantly, we thank our members for being part of a financial cooperative committed to helping people and strengthening communities.

At People Driven Credit Union, we believe financial education can open doors to new opportunities. We look forward to continuing that work and helping the next generation build a stronger financial future.

Our story is still being written, and we’re excited about what comes next.

Learn more about Alloya’s Celebrate Your Story initiative and read the official announcement of PDCU’s Next Chapter Award.