Credit Unions Fight Domestic Violence, Hunger & Poverty

Employees from the $907 million University of Michigan Credit Union in Ann Arbor, Mich., present a $5,000 check to the Neutral Zone. Because of the donation, 60 local students will have the opportunity to take advantage of an after-school program designed to help prepare teens for success in and beyond high school. This gift was made possible with the help of 32 local businesses during the credit union’s Shop Local Give Local campaign. Throughout November and December, University of Michigan CU matched and donated 1% of the total sales to NZ when members made purchases with their University of Michigan CU Visa credit card at participating stores. The purpose of the campaign was to help make a positive difference for an impactful charitable organization while strengthening the bond with local businesses and University of Michigan CU members.

Employees from the $507 million Cedar Point Federal Credit Union in Lexington Park, Md., join members of Southern Maryland Community Resources for a night of fun and giving at a local bowling alley. The credit union is the main sponsor of SMCR’s Solomons Dragon Boat Festival, donating $10,000 and paddling in the friendly competition against other local businesses. The festival raises funds to support local programs and events for community members with developmental differences. At SMCR’s January bowling event, credit union employees bowled alongside Special Olympics athletes and other SMCR members.

Employees from the $1.6 billion Sharonview Federal Credit Union in Fort Mill, S.C., help fill more than 500 hygiene kits for a local charity. The kits contain items such as shampoo, combs, toothpaste and toothbrushes. They will be distributed by Classroom Central to local children who may not have access to such items in the greater Charlotte, N.C., area.

From left to right, Mark Jimenez, board member for The Battered Women and Children’s Shelter and vice president of enterprise solution analysis and design for the $9.5 billion Security Service Federal Credit Union in San Antonio, Texas, presents a $5,000 check donation to Marta Prada Pelaez, president/CEO for The Battered Women and Children’s Shelter. The donation was given on behalf of Security Service Charitable Foundation, the charitable arm of Security Service, to purchase new kitchen equipment for meal preparation. Since 1977, The Battered Women and Children’s Shelter has been working to strengthen families and break the cycle of violence. These goals are attained through providing emergency shelter, transitional housing, education, legal services, effective parenting education, and specialized intervention with youth and the elderly. Serving Bexar County and the surrounding area, The Battered Women and Children’s Shelter currently houses more than 185 women and children. Its family violence prevention services have assisted some 9,200 mothers and children agency wide.

Board members from the Y-12 Federal Credit Union Gives Foundation, the charitable arm of the $1.2 billion Y-12 Federal Credit Union in Oak Ridge, Tenn., present a check to employees from Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee for the Food for Kids program. Second Harvest is leading the effort to compassionately feed east Tennessee’s hungry citizens and engage the community in the fight against hunger. One in seven people in east Tennessee live in poverty and have difficulty meeting basic needs. Every Friday each at-risk kid who participates in the program receives a bag that provides nutritional items for the weekend. There are more than 124 Food for Kids sites in East Tennessee and 41 in the eight counties served by the grant provided by Y-12.

Employees from the $2 billion Elevations Credit Union in Boulder, Colo., present a $4,000 check to Growing Gardens. With the help of its members and the community, Elevations raised $4,000 at Elevations AppleFest at YA YA Farm and Orchard on Oct. 13, 2018. The $4,000 raised will support the Cultiva Youth Project’s youth leadership program, where teens ages 12 to 19 operate an urban organic farm, growing produce for the local community while developing leadership and job skills. In Boulder, the teens plant seeds, and tend and harvest produce for Growing Gardens’ Community Supported Agriculture program, which provides a weekly share of vegetables for 65 community members. In Longmont, Colo., this produce is donated to community partners that give the food to locals that are food insecure.

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