Important Notices

December 16, 2008

DFI Supports U.S. Treasury's Go Direct Campaign

Urges Banks and Credit Unions to Stand Up and Be Recognized for Promoting Direct Deposit

Whether your bank or credit union serves a small town, a large city or an entire region, customers in your community look to you for sound advice about their money. The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Go Direct campaign is announcing a new recognition program for financial institutions that go the extra mile in promoting direct deposit to senior citizens, people with disabilities, veterans and other members who receive federal benefits. The six-month Go Direct Community Ambassadors Program launches in January and is aimed at community - and medium-sized financial institutions. The program is simple to implement and provides banks and credit unions with a flexible way to demonstrate their commitment to the community’s financial health while gaining recognition from Treasury’s Go Direct campaign. All banks and credit unions are invited to register online at www.GoDirect.org by January 31, 2009.

Banks and credit unions that successfully participate in the Community Ambassadors program will receive a letter of recognition and certificate from Go Direct. Participating banks and credit unions will be offered a variety of options for sharing information about the benefits of direct deposit with their customers, including ordering free Go Direct materials.

The simple act of switching to direct deposit can have a meaningful, positive impact on the lives of your customers and on your community. Consider the following:

• Direct deposit is safer and easier than paper checks – in fact, when there is a problem with a Social Security payment, nine times out of 10 it is with a paper check, not a direct deposit payment.
• Direct deposit also provides “green” benefits by reducing the paper and energy required to distribute checks.
• And direct deposit saves taxpayers money. Since it was launched in 2005, the Go Direct campaign has generated more than two million enrollments in direct deposit representing significant savings to taxpayers in printing, mailing and other costs.

Raising awareness about the benefits of direct deposit is a community effort. More than 1,200 Go Direct partner organizations engage in direct deposit education efforts across the country – including financial institutions, non-profits, and community-based groups. For more information about the Community Ambassadors program or Go Direct, call 952-346-6055, or visit www.GoDirect.org.  DFI encourages its licensees to consider becoming involved in this very worthwhile program.