Let's face it: It's been a rough 2016. We lost David Bowie and Prince. Mass shootings in Orlando, San Bernardino, Calif., and elsewhere led to feelings of sorrow and fear. And now, many Americans are feeling heartbroken and horrified by the outcome of the presidential election. To quote a tweet that was featured in a July Buzzfeed article, "Have we tried unplugging 2016, waiting 10 seconds and plugging it back in again?"

Credit unions have historically made it their mission to not only provide high-quality, low-cost financial products and services, but take part in charitable initiatives that help folks in their communities live better lives. These activities – which range from straight monetary donations to time-intensive volunteer projects – tend to pick up during the holiday season. It helps differentiate credit unions from banks and reminds members, "Hey, we're not here for our own benefit – we're here for you." And in a year that has brought its fair share of troubling news, it's more important than ever to spread this kind of love.

CU Times has begun receiving an influx of holiday giving announcements from credit unions with headlines such as "ABC Credit Union Donates $5,000 to XYZ Charity" and "Local Credit Union Gives 20,000 Pounds of Food to Food Bank." While every act of giving should be applauded, some could use a little more thought or creativity. The cookie-cutter headlines got me thinking, How can credit unions step up their charity game this year? How can they go beyond their usual check-writing routine and do something that people will really remember them for, and will perhaps circle back to the credit union in the form of new business?