September 9, 2025 - For Immediate Release
Las Cruces, NM – Nusenda Credit Union and the Boys & Girls Club of Las Cruces (BGCLC) today announced a transformative partnership to support the Club’s facility expansion and strengthen opportunities for youth and families across Southern New Mexico. Nusenda’s $1.5 million charitable investment, to be distributed over five years, includes naming rights for the Club’s new gymnasium and the launch of a collaborative effort to deliver comprehensive financial literacy programming to young people and their families.
“For years, the Boys & Girls Club has poured heart and dedication into making the most of every inch of their current space – and in doing so, they’ve impacted hundreds of families across Las Cruces,” said Michelle Dearholt, President and CEO of Nusenda Credit Union. “This expansion is more than bricks and mortar - it’s a promise to our kids that they matter, and that their dreams deserve a space to grow. Nusenda is proud to stand behind that promise and help build a future where every child in Las Cruces has access to the kind of support and opportunity that can truly transform lives.”
Through the Boys & Girls Club of Las Cruces’ Building Great Futures Capital Campaign, the organization aims to raise $10 million to renovate and expand the existing Allen Theatres Video 4 Facility. This major transformation — will turn the building into a modern, 30,000-square-foot facility, the Club’s first new home since 1965. For more than 60 years, the Club has served as a cornerstone for youth development, reaching thousands of children and teens each year with programs in academics, the arts, sports, and leadership. The expanded campus will significantly increase the Club’s capacity, providing the safe spaces and resources that a growing Las Cruces community needs.
Ashley Echavarria, Chief Executive Officer of the Boys & Girls Club of Las Cruces, expressed excitement for the credit union’s investment: “We are profoundly grateful to Nusenda Credit Union for their extraordinary $1.5 million commitment—the largest gift in our organization’s history. This transformational support will make possible something we have dreamed of for decades: a gymnasium for our kids. The new gymnasium will stand as a symbol of opportunity, health, and community, while pushing our Building Great Futures campaign beyond $6.1 million raised to date. This investment is not just a milestone—it is a legacy that will impact generations of young people for years to come.”
In addition to the gymnasium, the new facility will feature a state-of-the-art STEM lab, spaces focused on the arts, learning spaces, and an entire wing dedicated to teens, providing opportunities for after-school programs, summer camps, and leadership development. Together, Nusenda and BGCLC will build on their shared commitment to education and community well-being.
For more information about Nusenda Credit Union’s community impact initiatives, visit Nusenda.org.
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About the Boys & Girls Club of Las Cruces
The Boys & Girls Club of Las Cruces has been providing services to youth in Las Cruces since 1963. The Club provides daily programs that emphasize character and leadership development, education and career enhancement, health and life skills, the arts, sports, fitness, and recreation. Serving youth ages 6-18, the Club provides a safe environment for youth to learn and grow; ongoing relationships with caring, adult professionals; life-enhancing programs and character development experiences; and hope and opportunity.
Media Contact: Ashley Echavarria, (575) 526-1519 or [email protected]
About Nusenda Credit Union
Nusenda Credit Union is New Mexico’s largest locally owned and operated credit union with over 280,000 members and more than 900 employees. It has more than 30 branches throughout New Mexico and West Texas, serving the communities of Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Taos, Valencia County, Socorro, Deming, Las Cruces, and El Paso. There are hundreds of ways to join the credit union. Connect with Nusenda Credit Union at www.nusenda.org; Facebook @NusendaCU; Twitter @NusendaCU; and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nusenda-credit-union.
Insured by NCUA | Equal Opportunity Lender
Media Contact: Eric Harrison, (505) 610-0419 or [email protected]