Over $5 Million Saved: VyStar Savings Challenge Empowers Thousands to Take Control of Their Financial Future

Individuals and families across Jacksonville, Orlando, and Atlanta prove what's possible with the right tools, support and motivation.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- What could you do with more savings and less financial stress? For more than 31,000 participants - both VyStar members and community members across Florida and Georgia - that question just got easier to answer. VyStar Credit Union is proud to celebrate the success of its inaugural "VyStar Savings Challenge", which empowered people to build better financial habits and take real steps toward a stronger future. Designed to tackle rising consumer debt and strengthen savings habits, the challenge came at a crucial time. According to a recent WalletHub study, Jacksonville, Orlando, and Atlanta are all ranked in the top 10 of the nation's most financially distressed cities. VyStar responded with a call to action and the communities showed up in record numbers.

Real Results for Real People:

• 31,730 participants joined the challenge across VyStar's service area
  
  
• $5,170,466 in total incremental savings was achieved during the challenge.
  
  
• 21% of members saved more than $1,000.
  
  
• 917 participants took VyStar's Financial Quiz, with savings being the lowest-scoring area.
  
  
• 66% improved their Financial Fitness Health Score after the challenge.

"The VyStar Savings Challenge wasn't just about saving money - it was about making a real difference in the lives of our members and the communities we serve," said Jonathan Hanson, VyStar SVP, Marketing Strategy and Member Engagement. "We know that saving isn't easy especially in today's economy, but the numbers prove that when people are given the right tools and support, they can make extraordinary progress. This is what our commitment to doing good looks like in action."

Participants didn't just engage with their own financial goals, they also built a supportive community through a dedicated Facebook VyStar Savings Challenge micro-community, where members shared tips, encouraged each other, and celebrated milestones. To amplify these inspiring stories, VyStar partnered with a local news station to profile six standout participants, putting real faces to the impact and motivating others to start their own journey.

From building emergency savings to reducing debt and simply learning how to track expenses, the challenge gave members confidence and control, tools that extend far beyond the campaign.

Looking ahead, VyStar is continuing its mission to foster financial wellness with free Financial Fitness Classes at The Corner at Debs Store, Reality Fairs for teens, and upcoming campaigns focused on debt reduction and long-term savings. Additionally, ten participants in the Savings Challenge will be awarded $1,000 each, a meaningful boost to their savings journey.

For more information on how VyStar helps members improve their financial well-being, visit www.vystarcu.org.

About VyStar Credit Union 
VyStar Credit Union is the second-largest credit union headquartered in Florida, with 78 full-service branches across Florida and Georgia, 1 million members and assets of over $14 billion. VyStar is the top mortgage lender in Northeast Florida and a major employer in the region with over 2,500 employees across the communities it serves. VyStar membership is open to everyone who lives or works in the 49 contiguous counties of Central to North Florida, 29 Georgia counties, and past and present military members and their families all over the world. VyStar members have access to 55,000 surcharge free ATMs worldwide. For more information, visit vystarcu.org, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn.

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SOURCE VyStar Credit Union