Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union Awards Over $6,000 in School Grants Through Tackling Financial Wellness Program

LOWELL, MA (October 22, 2026) – Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union has awarded over $6,000 in grants to local educators as part of its Tackling Financial Wellness program, bringing practical financial education to more students in local schools. The grants were funded through a fundraiser held this past spring with New England punt returner and cornerback Marcus Jones at Four Oaks Country Club.

The 2026 grant recipients will use the funds to bring practical, real-world financial lessons and resources to students in their schools, helping them build the knowledge and confidence to make informed financial decisions. By extending Tackling Financial Wellness into local classrooms, with the support of teachers and administrators, the grants build on Jeanne D’Arc’s more than 25 years of financial education through classroom instruction, community workshops, and in-school savings programs.

The grant applications required a detailed explanation and budget about the program they would initiate if the grant was awarded to them. The grant awardees are:

• Angela Bartlett, Finance Instructor, Nashua High School South, “Money Matters: Freshman Financial Literacy Night”
• Jim Dowding, Business Instructor, Nashua High School North, “Build Now, Strong Future”
• Neyder Fernandez, Community School Manager, Butler Middle School, “Real-World Finance: Career Awareness and Literacy Program”
• Erik Taber, Business Teacher, Dracut High School, “Future Ready Financial Wellness Studio”

“These grants help students build financial skills they can use throughout their lives,” said Larissa C. Thurston, President and Chief Executive Officer at Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union. “By supporting local educators we’re putting Tackling Financial Wellness into action—giving students practical tools and the confidence to make smart financial decisions. We’re proud to partner with educators in this work.”

Beyond the school grant program, Jeanne D’Arc’s Tackling Financial Wellness program offers practical tools and resources to build financial confidence and inspire action. The Credit Union teamed up with New England cornerback and punt returner Marcus Jones in 2025, and the program continues in 2026 with a new, free downloadable Tackling Financial Wellness Game Plan and “Tackle This!” Financial Friday Challenges on the Credit Union’s website and social pages. Together, Jeanne D’Arc and Jones highlight shared principles that support a more secure financial future for all.

 

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About Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union:

Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union was established in 1912 and is a full-service, community-based financial cooperative. Locally owned by more than 100,000 members with $2.2 billion in assets, Jeanne D’Arc operates eight full-service branches in Lowell, Dracut (2), Tyngsboro, Chelmsford, Methuen, and Westford, Massachusetts, and Nashua, New Hampshire; high-school branches at Lowell High, Dracut High, and Nashua High School South; a loan center in Lowell; and a mortgage center in Chelmsford. Follow Jeanne D’Arc on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.