Financial 21 Community Credit Union, Valley Center, Calif., has recently participated in a special Habitiat for Humanity build. As part of the TEAM Volunteer program, ten staffers helped rebuild 18 homes that were destroyed in the San Diego fires of 2003. The estimated finish date is the end of 2005. Financial 21 employees spent the day applying fire proof siding and roofing materials. GenFed Federal Credit Union, Akron, Ohio, has given back to local kids by ensuring they have new shoes through the Warm the Soles program. Under the direction of the Summit Chapter of the Ohio Credit Union League, credit unions in Summit County joined forces five years ago to provide new shoes for children who may have never owned new shoes before. Since then, GenFed has made this project their primary focus and raised a total of $2,650.37 and 16 pairs of new shoes. MECU of Baltimore, Md., has donated over 2,000 children's books to several Baltimore elementary schools including Cross Country, Ft. Worthington, Hamilton and Yorkwood Elementary Schools. For the past four years, MECU employees have collected children's books for the students in the elementary schools with which it has partnerships. At the end of the school year, the books are delivered to the schools and the students each select a book of their own to take home. St. Charles County Credit Union, St. Louis, Mo., has donated $19,000 to Family Support Services through “The Drive to Touch Lives” fundraiser. Eight St. Charles County credit unions participated in the joint effort to raise capital for Family Support Services proposed 22,000 square-foot facility scheduled to open in early 2006. Over two months, $20 donations were made for each car loan closed in St. Charles County. Credit unions made additional in-kind contributions to reach a cooperative goal of $50,000 for the new facility. Participating credit unions include: Aerospace Community Credit Union, First Community Credit Union, Gateway Metro Credit Union, Healthcare Family Credit Union, Meridian Credit Union, Missouri Valley Credit Union, Vantage Credit Union, and West Community Credit Union. Palisades Federal Credit Union, Pearl River, N.Y. has donated $500 to the Pearl River Interfaith Coalition. The Pearl River Interfaith Coalition raises money annually for its five Houses of Worship including St. Margaret's Roman Catholic Church, Beth Am Temple, Nauraushaun Presbyterian Church, United Methodist Church and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Palisades Credit Union has also renewed its commitment this year to contribute an additional $2,500 to the Coalition. Robins Federal Credit Union, Warner Robins, Ga., has raised $9,204.55 for The American Cancer Society during the Relay For Life. Team Robins FCU placed second in terms of money raised. Funds raised will go toward cancer research and cancer education programs. The team theme of “Scare Cancer Away” helped the credit union win one of the “Most Awesome Campsite ” awards at the Houston County Relay For Life. Unison Credit Union, Kaukauna, Wis., has helped three local school districts purchase Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs). Funds were donated to Little Chute High School, Kaukauna High School and Wrightstown High School. An AED is an emergency medical device that assesses a person's heart rhythm and administers an electric shock to restore a normal rhythm in the case of cardiac arrest. South Western Federal Credit Union, La Habra, Calif., has awarded 15 Teacher's Helper grants of $150 each to classes at four local schools: St. Gregory the Great, Lou Henry Hoover Elementary, West Whittier Elementary, and Los Nietos Middle School. Grants were awarded based on how a proposed project would enhance the education experience for students.The various winning projects include field trips, book purchases and computer software upgrades.