CUs Pledge Over $800,000 to Groups Impacted by COVID-19

The $749 million Atlantic Federal Credit Union in Brunswick, Maine, is donating $50,000 to the Good Shepherd Food Bank to support its effort to secure more food for those in need during this unprecedented health crisis. The Food Bank anticipates a significant decrease in donated food, all while simultaneously seeing an increase in requests for meals. Funds donated will be used for immediate needs, and will help the Food Bank and its hunger-relief partners provide essential support in the months to come as communities recover from the economic impacts of this crisis.

The $1.1 billion Bay Federal Credit Union in Capitola, Calif., is partnering with GreenPath Financial Wellness, a leading national nonprofit organization, to address critical needs among community individuals and families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic measures. Through the partnership, Bay Federal will offer free phone-based GreenPath financial counseling. GreenPath’s counselors will assess an individual’s entire financial picture and identify options that can relieve stress and make it easier to bounce back. Bay Federal’s partnership with Greenpath also includes other financial education resources and toolkits to help credit union members including personal and family budgeting, credit report coaching and debt management plans. Information about these tools can be found at bayfed.com/greenpath.

The $1.2 billion SPIRE Credit Union in Falcon Heights, Minn., is donating $250,000 to organizations struggling amid the COVID-19 global pandemic. Three hundred employees and volunteers from SPIRE’s 20 branches, every administrative department, senior management, board of directors and supervisory committee will give out a total of $250,000 to businesses and organizations in their Minnesota communities.

The Coastal Credit Union Foundation, the charitable arm of the $3.3 billion Coastal Credit Union in Raleigh, N.C., is providing $500,000 in unrestricted grants to several area nonprofits. These grants will be used to provide community assistance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The package includes a $100,000 grant to the newly created NC Restaurant Relief Fund, an initiative that was created to help local restaurant employees who have been hit hard by business closures aimed at slowing the spread of coronavirus. Coastal also donated its supply of 1,000 N95 masks to WakeMed hospitals.

Carma Peters, president/CEO from the $213 million Michigan Legacy Credit Union in Pontiac, Mich., announced the creation of a food voucher program, giving $1,000 each to six area restaurants that will in turn provide free meals for local hospital workers.

The $1 billion United States Senate Federal Credit Union in Washington, D.C., is also partnering with GreenPath Financial Wellness to address critical needs among community individuals and families impacted by COVID-19 pandemic measures. Through the partnership, USSFCU is offering free phone-based GreenPath financial counseling. GreenPath’s counselors will assess an individual’s entire financial picture and identify options that can relieve stress and make it easier to bounce back. Working directly with individuals and through partnerships since 1961, GreenPath has assisted millions of people with debt and credit management, homeownership education and foreclosure prevention.

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