Neighborhood Credit Union Surprises Member with nearly 50000

Dallas, TX - February 10, 2026 - Neighborhood Credit Union surprised longtime member Leticia Ybarra during a brief visit to its Coppell branch with news she never expected. Ybarra was named the 2025 Grand Prize Winner of Neighborhood Credit Union’s Prize Savings Account, receiving $49,999.99 for her consistent commitment to saving.

 

Ybarra had stopped by the branch during her lunch break when she was presented with the oversized check in person. Visibly emotional, she reacted with a heartfelt “Oh wow!” as the announcement set in. Francis Santana, chief retail and operations officer for Neighborhood Credit Union, joined in celebrating the moment and emphasized the purpose behind the program, saying, “Leticia, members like you are the reason we do this. This program is about rewarding good financial habits and helping our members move closer to their goals.”

 

A member since 2001, Ybarra first joined Neighborhood Credit Union at just 18 years old after her mother encouraged her to open her first account and begin building a strong financial foundation early in life. More than two decades later, she remains a committed member.

 

The timing of the win made it especially meaningful. After being laid off from a job she held for seven years, Ybarra experienced a period of unemployment before recently starting a new role with her current employer. Like many families, she faced financial challenges during that time and has since focused on paying down debt incurred while out of work.

 

Reflecting on her experience, Ybarra shared advice rooted in her own savings journey, saying, “Start young. You can never be too young to start saving for the future. Everything you do in the past will one day catch up to you. Invest in your future.”

 

When asked who she planned to tell first, Ybarra did not hesitate. “My mom,” she said. Her mother is currently visiting Monterrey, Mexico, and Ybarra shared that she was excited to call her with the news and happy to know she could help make it possible for her stay a little longer.

Neighborhood Credit Union introduced the Prize Savings Account in 2007 to encourage strong saving habits while adding excitement through cash rewards. Members earn entries based on their savings balances and are eligible for monthly prizes of $1,000, $2,000, and $3,000, with the program culminating in a $49,999.99 grand prize awarded every January. In addition to rewarding members, Neighborhood Credit Union makes a monthly donation to a local charity on behalf of that month’s winners, reinforcing its commitment to financial wellness and community impact.

For more than 95 years, Neighborhood Credit Union has served Texas communities as a not-for-profit financial cooperative. With assets exceeding $1 billion and a growing membership of nearly 70,000, the credit union operates branch locations across Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Grayson, Kaufman, and Tarrant counties. For more information, visit myncu.com