CUs Kick Off 2019 With Community Service & Donations

Tara Houser (left), vice president of marketing and Lisa Barshinger (right), community engagement officer at the $197 million First Capital Federal Credit Union in York, Penn., present a check for $475 to Jennifer Hitz (center) from Leg Up Farm and Gannon, and a Leg Up Farm student. The money was raised through First Cap Gives Back program. The credit union selected four charities to support, one per quarter, and Leg Up Farm was chosen as the fourth quarter charity. To raise money, staff sold soft pretzels to members at all branches. Employees also paid $5 to wear jeans on a specific day.

Employees from the LGE Community Outreach Foundation, the charitable arm of the $1.3 billion LGE Community Credit Union in Marietta, Ga., present a $200,000 check to local nonprofit organizations at LGE Community’s annual Christmas breakfast, which was hosted at NorthStar Church in Kennesaw, Ga. The event recognized nonprofit organizations from the four counties LGE serves (Cobb, Cherokee, Fulton and Paulding), and each nonprofit was invited to speak and share donor impact stories with the entire LGE Community team of more than 250 employees. Nonprofits that received donations from the LGE Foundation included Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, SafePath Children’s Advocacy Center, Next Step Ministries, CASA of Paulding County, Mostly Mutts, The Zone/Davis Direction Foundation, the Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia and Warehouse of Hope. Each year, LGE Community employees nominate and select the organizations that will be supported by the LGE Foundation. The LGE Foundation organizes and conducts fundraisers throughout the year to raise money to contribute to those nonprofit organizations. Every dollar raised by the LGE Foundation is matched by LGE Community. Since 2010, the LGE Foundation has invested over $950,000 in the lives of those in the community including children, homeless, abuse victims and those who fall on hard times.

Employees from the $579 million McCoy Federal Credit Union in Orlando, Fla., shop for clothing and toys (and wrap it all) for sponsored children to open on Christmas Day. The credit union and its employees sponsored 76 children for Christmas. Through this partnership, McCoy Federal employees sponsored a child or multiple children in need and provided gifts such as clothing, toys and books. Additional monetary help was provided by McCoy Federal business partners, which allowed the help to extend to more children.

Employees from the $1.3 billion Hanscom Federal Credit Union in Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., show off $1,000 worth of toiletries and personal care items the credit union donated to the VA Boston Healthcare System on the Brockton campus. This donation furthers the credit union’s ongoing commitment to supporting the health and welfare of our nation’s veterans. Items like soap, shampoo, conditioner, reading glasses, nail files and clippers, brushes, toiletry bags and shaving cream are appreciated by patients at the hospital, who often find it difficult to obtain the personal care items they need. The hospital on the Brockton campus offers both short- and long-term care to veterans, including rehabilitation, medical and hospice care.

From left to right (beginning second from left), Harmonie Taddeo, vice president of marketing and communications at the $3.5 billion Northwest Federal Credit Union in Herndon, Va., and Jeff Margeson, SVP, member experience for Northwest FCU present a $10,000 check to Sarah Rudy, president for Friends of Homeless Animals; Katie Crockett, executive director at FOHA; and FOHA volunteers. Northwest FCU donated $10,000 to resurface exercise runs for shared kennels at the FOHA shelter as its final donation for 2018 under the umbrella of Transforming Lives through Acts of We. FOHA, a community partner of the credit union, has been in operation since 1973 focusing on the rescue and placement of homeless dogs and cats in the Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. area. FOHA will use the donated funds to upgrade two large exercise yards at the shelter, changing the plastic turf to full cement on each exercise space to meet the non-porous, durability and sanitary requirements provided by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Employees from the $634 million Aggieland Credit Union based in Austin, Texas, present a $5,000 check to Julie Kircher, a recreation, park and tourism sciences PhD student at Texas A&M University. Kircher is the second winner of the Aggieland Credit Union Tuition Takedown Giveaway. Applicants qualified with a completed online entry form, a checking account and enrollment in e-statements with the credit union. Additional entries were also gained each time the applicant used their debit card during the promotional period. Aggieland CU has been serving the Brazos Valley since 1992, supporting students through high school scholarships, giving back and investing in the community.

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