El Paso, TX (July 17, 2024) |
Opportunity Knocks, the groundbreaking reality television series broadcast by PBS stations nationally and locally on KCOS, has been honored with not one but four prestigious awards:
- Platinum Viddy Award for Education
- Gold Viddy Award for Nonprofit
- Gold Viddy Award for Social Responsibility
- Silver Anthem Award for Global Impact in Film, Video, Television, or Show
The Anthem Awards honors the purpose and mission-driven work of people and organizations worldwide. The Viddy Awards are administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. It is one of the oldest, largest, and most respected awards programs in the video industry.
"We are thrilled and honored to be featured in this award-winning television series," shared Max Villaronga, President and CEO of Raiz Federal Credit Union. "This recognition is a testament to the inspiring services our team provides to change lives every day.”
Opportunity Knocks offers a fresh and innovative approach to reality television, focusing on empowering individuals to pursue their dreams and showcasing how viewers can join them on their remarkable journeys. The program’s companion tool, The Opportunity Finder, connects viewers with local nonprofits like the United Way, Community Development Certified Financial Institutions (CDFIs), and not-for-profit credit unions to replicate the success of the families in the series. A 2024 grant launched The Opportunity Coach, which gives every user the chance to live the show with a personalized plan to make and keep more of their own money.
In the series, El Paso local Nicole Landini achieved her dream of relieving the financial stress of high credit card debt and taking the next step forward in her career in earning her teacher certification.
Directed by veteran reality television producer Brian Spoor, who executive produced the series with creator Jamie Strayer and Jenn George Hunter, Opportunity Knocks features renowned financial experts Jean Chatzky, Louis Barajas, and Patrice Washington along with Pearl Contreras from Raiz Federal Credit Union.
“A national search of remarkable nonprofits and not-for-profit credit unions led us to select Raiz Federal Credit Union to appear in the series,” said Strayer. “It was inspiring to see the impact Raiz Federal Credit Union is making in El Paso and to share that with a national audience.”
The Silver Anthem Award, Gold Viddy Award, and Platinum Viddy Award add to Opportunity Knocks' growing list of accolades, including The Silver Telly Award and Gold dotCOMM Award. The program is distributed by American Public Television and called the “Ted Lasso of Reality Television” on Rotten Tomatoes where it holds a 100% audience score. It is underwritten by Balance, Callahan & Associates, the National Council for Financial Opportunities, and the Wells Fargo Foundation.
For more information about Opportunity Knocks and to watch the award-winning series, visit the official website at www.opportunityknocks.net or P