Credit Union Employees Take Action to Support Local Causes

Staff from the $1.1 billion SPIRE Credit Union in Falcon Heights, Minn., pose with their Pinktober shirts. In keeping with SPIRE’s core action of giving back, SPIRE employees again banded together during Breast Cancer Awareness month to raise money for the American Cancer Society. In a five-year tradition that has generated $9,000, employees across the 19 SPIRE branches purchased pink and white “Pinktober” items. In Minnesota alone, nearly 31,000 new cancer cases have been reported in 2019. The Pinktober fundraiser is just one of several charitable opportunities in which SPIRE staff and members participate throughout the year.

A team of 72 employees and members from the $4 billion Wescom Credit Union in Pasadena, Calif., participate in Bike MS: Bay to Bay, an annual cycling ride along the California coastline from Orange County to San Diego that raises money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Marking its 13th year of participation, Wescom raised a total of $210,039 this year.

Sarah Berwick (left), marketing partnerships specialist for the $6 billion OnPoint Community Credit Union in Portland, Ore., and Rob Stuart (right) OnPoint’s president/CEO, present a $40,200 check donation to Kyle Hummel (center), Oregon Food Bank’s corporate and community relations officer. The donation will help provide more than 120,000 meals for individuals and families throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington. During the two-month campaign, OnPoint members invited friends, family and business associates to join OnPoint. For every new member who opened a personal or business checking account, OnPoint pledged to make a $50 donation to the Oregon Food Bank. As part of the campaign, both the referring member and new member also each received $50 from OnPoint.

Employees from the $688 million Connex Credit Union in North Haven, Conn., present Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven with a $1,000 check as part of its ConnexCares program, a philanthropic initiative dedicated to improving the communities where Connex employees and members live and work. The volunteer group also supported the non-profit organization’s mission to eliminate poverty housing by spending the day helping build safe and affordable homes for low-income working families.

The $627 million Alabama ONE Credit Union in Tuscaloosa, Ala., hosted its first annual Bridge Builders conference on Oct. 24 at Hotel Capstone on the University of Alabama campus. Pictured are Alabama ONE Branch Manager Sarah Smith (left) and Member Services Representative Sydney Boothe (right). This free, one-day conference connected local leaders from the faith, academic and non-profit sectors in order to exchange ideas and resources that can further help the communities they serve. Bridge Builders is the first conference of its kind in Tuscaloosa, with breakout sessions that address the financial wellness of the community as well as a panel discussion featuring various guests.

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