All that glitters might be gold. In August, the Florida Public Relations Association awarded its All Florida Golden Image Award  to the weLiveFIT! Challenge, an initiative spearheaded by Florida Commerce Credit Union ($324M, Tallahassee, FL) and public relations firm Salter>Mitchell.

More than just a point of recognition for the not-for-profit industry, the program is making a real difference in the lives of Florida families by generating an interest in financial literacy and management. According to Florida Commerce, last year’s weLiveFIT! contestants increased their combined credit scores by 469 points and their savings by more than $72,000; they also reduced their debt by nearly $45,000.

Highlights of the 2010 season include:

• More than 100 new applicants were narrowed down to just seven families who are competing to improve FICO scores, boost savings, and slash debt.
• Each family is assigned a financial coach to help them meet their financial goals.
• The family that shows the most improvement in the three categories (FICO, savings, and debt) at the end of the year will win a $10,000 prize.

Check out this CUtv Short to hear how Florida Commerce’s program evolved from iLiveFit!, a personnel financial assessment used by approximately 1,500 members, to weLiveFIT!, a full-blown web campaign with webisodes, blogs, and financial resources. Then learn more about how to differentiate your credit union from the competition during the full CUtv event.