Credit Unions Pay It Forward: Community News

The $7.6 billion Alaska USA Federal Credit Union in Anchorage, Alaska honors members of Alaska’s armed forces, including 11 recipients of the Service Person of the Year and Military Spouse of the Year awards, at Alaska USA’s 24th annual Military Appreciation Breakfast in Anchorage. The Service Person of the Year honorees, nominated by their supervisors, undergo a panel interview. These exceptional enlisted service members, representing each of the active duty branches of the Guard and Reserve, were recognized and awarded for their outstanding achievements. Guests included the command teams of the 11 honorees, as well as representatives from the offices of Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Sen. Dan Sullivan and Rep. Don Young. Alaska USA President/CEO Geoff Lundfelt, along with other Alaska USA officials and members of Alaska USA senior management team, were on hand to recognize the awardees.

Employees from the Cedar Park branch of the $1.5 billion A+ Federal Credit Union in Austin, Texas present a $500 check to Reagan Elementary School. A+ donated $14,153.88 to 20 different schools and organizations throughout Central Texas to pay school lunch balances. Fifteen of the schools’ overdue balances will be paid off completely. The donation is part of the credit union’s A+ Gives, a series of 70 different days throughout 2019 with scheduled acts of kindness. Monthly themes range from volunteering at nonprofit organizations to organizing food donations to providing veterans assistance.

Employees, including President/CEO Bill Allender, from the $496 million BMI Federal Credit Union in Dublin, Ohio present more than 65 coats, as well as several hats and gloves, to Franklin County Children Services. This organization was chosen for the BMI Federal Credit Union Employee Giving Program, which chooses one charity each month of the year to provide with a donation straight from the employees.

Employees at the $2.1 billion Atlanta Postal Credit Union in Atlanta, Ga., present a $37,000 check donation to Children’s Miracle Network. CMN is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children’s hospitals across North America. APCU has participated in fundraising activities to assist CMN in meeting its objectives. Through employee donations and numerous other activities such as yearly candy sales and a weekly jeans day, APCU employees, with the generous support of the credit union’s board of directors, raised $37,000 for CMN in 2018.

Bob Brinson (right), SECU Foundation board chair, presents a $268,196 check to Hospice and Home Care Foundation Executive Director Judy Penn (left). The member-funded SECU Foundation, the charitable arm of the $38.8 billion SECU in Raleigh, N.C., announced its support for a new health care pilot in partnership with the HHCF of North Carolina. The Foundation’s $268,196 three-year challenge grant will help address the shortage of registered nurses in home health and hospice settings through the development of a comprehensive and systematic program to onboard recent graduates and newly-hired nurses to the field.

Ray Wrobel (middle), vice president of business development at the $571 million Align Credit Union in Lowell, Mass., and Jim Sullivan (right), vice president of community development at Align, present a $25,000 check to Dr. James C. Mabry (left), president at Middlesex Community College. The donation will support the Richard and Nancy Donahue Family Academic Arts Center at the college, and will provide classroom instruction and state-of-the-art performance facilities for students studying music, dance and theater.

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