Dog Adoptions & Teddy Bears on Patrol: Community News

From left to right, Danielle Neilson, special programs coordinator at the $751 million Santa Clara County Federal Credit Union in San Jose, Calif.; Vince Bautista, recreation specialist for the City of Gilroy; and Ariana Orozco Lopez, community employee with the Santa Clara County Probation Department show off the teddy bears that they’re donating to needy children. The Teddy Bears on Patrol holiday program delivered 2,100 stuffed bears to cheer up needy children. For more than 20 years, County Federal has sponsored the Teddy Bears on Patrol program along with local law enforcement agencies, school districts and organizations such as Santa Clara County Social Services, Parents Helping Parents and the Rosa Elena Childcare Center (part of Respite and Research for Alzheimer’s Disease). The program was created to bring joy to children suffering from trauma or illness.

Woodhaven Animal Control Officer Lora Schaller, at left, introduces the dog Mercy to team members Laura Spangler (kneeling) and from left, April Clark, Whitney Wood and Jacklyn Scealf from the $592 million Zeal Credit Union in Livonia, Mich., during their #ZealTheLove visit and donation. The #ZealTheLove initiative encourages employees to work together to support the charities they feel most passionate about. When team members from the Woodhaven branch of Zeal were invited to select a local non-profit, they readily agreed it would be the local animal shelter. The fundraiser resulted in a donation of $1,910 to the Woodhaven and Trenton Animal Shelter. When branch staff visited the shelter to present the funds, Lora Schaller, Woodhaven animal control officer, greeted them and introduced them to Mercy, a loveable pit bull terrier in need of a home. Mercy had been abused, abandoned and brought in off the street. While Mercy happily greeted the visitors, Schaller could see there was a special bond with Spangler, who shared that her family’s pet of 16 years had died the previous year. A potential adoption was in the works. Today, Mercy has a forever home with the Spangler family who renamed her Maisie, calling her “lazy Maisie.”

Jim Johnson, president/CEO (right) from the $93 million Hopewell Federal Credit Union in Heath, Ohio presents a $500 donation to Rod Cook, Red Cross executive director (left). Each Friday, Hopewell team members are invited to donate one dollar in exchange for the opportunity to dress in casual attire. Funds collected throughout the year are used to support a worthwhile organization within the community. This year the credit union selected the American Red Cross of East and South Central Ohio. In addition to these annual funds, during the month of December, the credit union collected hats, gloves, scarfs, blankets and stuffed animals to donate as well.

Employees from the $1 billion SPIRE Credit Union in Falcon Heights, Minn., drop off donated toys at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare. From left to right, Marci Lawhorn and Bridget Petersen from SPIRE, and Beth Engelking and Natalie Kinsky from Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare, pose with the donated toys. The toy donation is part of a 30-year holiday tradition for the credit union.

Employees from the $443 million CP Federal Credit Union in Jackson, Miss., present a $300,000 check donation to the Jackson Community Foundation to start the Jackson Saves program, which helps kids save for post-secondary education expenses. In collaboration with the Jackson Community Foundation, Jackson County Jackson County Intermediate School District and CP Federal, the Jackson Saves program will help set students up for success by giving all kindergartners, who attend an eligible Jackson Public School or Public Charter, a savings account and an initial deposit for the student. CP Federal committed $300,000 to fund the first three years of the program. Students can continue to make deposits and earn interest on their funds until they are 18 years old. The funds will then become available to be used for post-secondary education or training in a trade skill. The program is set to launch for the 2019-2020 school year.

Staff from the $1.3 billion Altura Credit Union in Riverside, Calif., deliver employee donations to The Salvation Army for its Angel Tree holiday program in Riverside, Calif. Altura employees helped fulfill Christmas wishes for more than 300 local families in crisis this holiday season through The Salvation Army’s annual Angel Tree holiday program. The credit union provided space for the Salvation Army to organize the toys for the children where their parents could pick them up in time for Christmas. According to The Salvation Army, the nationwide Angel Tree program is designed to raise in-kind gifts to assist families who are in crisis as a result of medical issues, unemployment, homelessness, medical issues or other difficult circumstances, and who otherwise wouldn’t have the resources to celebrate Christmas.

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