Credit Unions Give Back to Students & the Homeless

Scholarship recipients pose for a picture on May 15 at the $2.1 billion Elevations Credit Union in Boulder, Colo., during the credit union’s annual Celebration of Community. The Elevations Foundation, the charitable arm of Elevations, awarded $84,250 in scholarships to 33 local students during the event. The scholarship recipients are 2019 graduates of Adams 12, Boulder Valley, Poudre, St. Vrain Valley and Thompson School Districts. The Elevations Foundation scholarship initiative has provided more than $480,000 in scholarships for higher education during its first nine years. Award criteria include financial need, merit and academic performance. Since 2010, the Elevations Foundation has provided opportunities for a better community and awarded more than $1.5 million in critical funding for scholarships, community grants and disaster response.

The Neighbors Capital Area Foundation, the charitable arm of the $920 million Neighbors Federal Credit Union in Baton Rouge, La., awards $30,000 in scholarships at its second annual Neighbors Way Tuition Assistance Award ceremony. Schools participating in the Neighbors Mascot Checking Program were invited to nominate one graduating senior to receive the award. The Mascot Checking Program created customized checking accounts that provide money for the respective school for each debit card swipe. In 2018, this program raised $40,985 for participating schools. Schools nominated students for the award based on their character and commitment to living the “Neighbors Way.” Nominated students exemplified the credit union’s core values, including integrity, respect, trust, stability, community involvement, honesty, empathy, ethical behavior and fairness. Funds for the program are raised through two major avenues: An employee payroll donation program, which generated $13,812; and the foundation’s annual fundraiser, Clays for a Cause, which generated a total of $14,464 in net proceeds last year. The remainder of the funds were generated from miscellaneous fundraisers and direct contributions from Neighbors.

Employees from the $721 million Leominster Credit Union in Leominster, Mass., present the March of Dimes of Central Massachusetts a $915 check donation. LCU employees raised the funds by participating in jeans days each Friday during the Month of April. Employees pay a small fee to wear jeans on Fridays and monies raised are donated back to a different organization each month. Pictured from left to right are Lisa Perrin, SVP of retail for LCU; Stephen Sycks, senior development manager for March of Dimes; and Jayne Chaffee, member relationship representative for LCU and March of Dimes volunteer.

Rebecca Box, assistant vice president of member service, Mountain West Region and Ben Wiseman, SVP of member service, Mountain West Region for the $9.5 billion, San Antonio, Texas-based Security Service Federal Credit Union, present Carol Hollowell, executive director for Switchpoint Community Resource Center and Dr. David Dangerfield, board chairman for Switchpoint Community Resource Center, with a $10,000 check donation. Funds will be used to purchase a refrigerated truck that will pick up donated food at stores throughout Southern Utah, ultimately allowing an additional 300 people to be fed each week. Switchpoint serves 4,200 individuals each year by providing an emergency shelter, food pantry, soup kitchen, community garden, job training and individualized case management. The services support people on their journey to self-sufficiency and can reduce time spent in homelessness.

Breanna Kersting, an employee at the $2.6 billion First Community Credit Union in Chesterfield, Mo., gives a double red cell donation. First Community hosted its annual employee blood drive last week to help out the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center. To encourage blood drive participation while also supporting the St. Louis Blues during their NHL Playoff run, the credit union used the theme, “Do You Bleed Blue?” Employees who made a donation even got to leave early the next day just so they had extra time to get ready for the Blues game that night. Throughout the day, 32 employees donated blood. Since one donation can save up to three lives, more than 80 lives may be positively impacted by the donations at this blood drive alone.

Executives from the $4.6 billion Desert Financial Credit Union in Phoenix, Ariz., pose with recipients of its Community Service Scholarship. Desert Financial, which is celebrating 80 years since its founding, marked its 15th annual Community Service Scholarship by awarding $47,500 to 15 Arizona high school seniors. The students were recognized at a dinner where they found out their scholarship award total, learned that the scholarships would be available to renew in their sophomore year if their community service hours are met, and received an iPad to assist with college coursework.

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