CUs Spread Holiday Cheer Throughout Their Communities

The $1.5 billion Credit Union of South California in Anaheim, Calif., treat students, faculty and staff from Ponderosa Elementary School in Anaheim to gifts and lunch during Credit Union of Southern California’s Santa’s School Takeover on Dec. 13. The credit union provided a total of $18,000 worth of gifts and gift cards via its non-profit charity organization, Helping Hands, at the special event. To prepare for the event, 55 of Santa’s CU SoCal “elves” (team members) went out and shopped for the 1,200 gifts. Dozens of CU SoCal elves arrived the night before to transform an ordinary classroom into a Santa’s workshop. Toys of all shapes and sizes were displayed on tables, grouped by specific age groups.

Employees from the $521 million Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii present a $24,281 check to for Hope Services Hawaii, Inc., a non-profit that provides services to those in need, during HCFCU’s annual “Market Days” events. Market Days occur every October in honor of International Credit Union Week. Event sponsor Cal-Kona Produce generously provided fruits and vegetables, local businesses donated silent auction items, and shoppers found great buys on baked goods, clothing, jewelry, crafts and more. Participating vendors donated 20% of their sales to the cause. HCFCU employees also held work lunch fundraisers and sold ribbons to raise additional money. As the credit union’s Triennial Social Responsibility partner, HOPE is the beneficiary of HCFCU’s Market Days fundraising activities from 2018 through 2020.

Megan Wade (left), public and community relations coordinator at the $998 million Member One Federal Credit Union in Roanoke, Va., and Mark Hudzik (right), Member One SVP market executive, present a $5,000 check to Jackie Grant (center), executive director of the Roanoke Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross. Member One recently donated $5,000 each to the Blue Ridge Area and Central Virginia American Red Cross chapters. The funds at each location will remain local and benefit area residents who are facing a crisis. The donations will go toward providing shelter, food, comfort and emergency assistance.

From left to right, representatives from Christmas Box International, The Road Home, SafeNest, The Lantern House Homeless Shelter, YCC of Northern Utah, the Cathedral of the Madeline Good Samaritan Program, For the Kids, Three Square, the Food & Care Coalition and the Catholic Community Services Joyce Hansen Hall Food Bank hold checks for $10,000 each. The $10.2 billion America First Credit Union in Riverdale, Utah gifted the checks during the credit union’s annual Community Assistance Holiday Giving event on Dec. 12 at the Davis Conference Center in Layton, Utah. The mission of the Community Assistance Program is to provide funds to assist the homeless and other disadvantaged individuals in the communities America First serves. Money for the Community Assistance Program is raised through America First member donations and distributed to organizations that provide job assistance, training, housing, food and medical attention to those in need.

Staff from the $483 million BMI Federal Credit Union in Dublin, Ohio fill 500 bags full of home care items for Meals on Wheels recipients. These items were all purchased by BMI FCU employees from every branch and assembled to be delivered to LifeCare Alliance. BMI FCU is a frequent sponsor of LifeCare Alliance, and has been purchasing and assembling these holiday bags each year for more than 10 years.

Employees from the $240 million Matadors Community Credit Union in Chatsworth, Calif., donate toys for kids for the holidays in conjunction with the Child and Family Guidance Center in Northridge, Calif. Matadors Community has been a long-time supporter of the CFGC. CFGC provides comprehensive mental health services and outreach programs to 10,000 children and young adults each year who have significant emotional problems requiring comprehensive mental health interventions. A majority of the children are from low-income or underserved populations. The goal of the toy drive is to provide each of the children the organization works with, as well as any siblings in their family, with a gift for the holidays.

Please send your Community news items to Tahira Hayes at thayes@cutimes.com.