Chartway FCU
Participants of a drive-by parade show support for Ames, a 14-year-old Chesapeake, Va., resident who has battled cancer most of his life.
Ames The We Promise Foundation, the charitable arm of the $2.2 billion, Virginia Beach, Va.-based Chartway Federal Credit Union, threw the surprise parade for Ames after his wish to go to Walt Disney World, funded by the We Promise Foundation and granted by Toby's Dream Foundation, was postponed due to COVID-19. The We Promise Foundation's board of trustees, Chartway's board of directors, Chartway's leadership team, an enthusiastic crowd of Chartway team members, and Old Dominion University's Big Blue mascot and cheerleaders met at a local church to decorate their cars. Shortly after, the caravan of vehicles paraded by Ames' house – honking, waving, playing music, blowing bubbles and spreading some much-needed joy.
Cobalt CU Recommended For You
Employees of Cobalt Credit Union ($1 billion, Papillion, Neb.) handmade more than 175 patriotic cards and artwork (pictured) to bring cheer to residents at the Eastern Nebraska Veterans' Home in celebration of the July 4th holiday. The SAC Foundation, Cobalt's charitable arm, coordinated the activity with the theme "We Celebrate the Red, White & Blue Thanks to You!" The cards and artwork were delivered to Veterans' Home's leadership so they could safely distribute the pieces to the residents.
Hanscom FCU Volunteers with the United Service Organizations (USO) of New England pose for a photo during their "Military Kids Are Heroes Too!" event in Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass. The charitable arm of the $1.5 billion Hanscom Federal Credit Union in Hanscom Air Force Base donated $10,000 to USO of New England, and as part of the donation, it was the presenting sponsor of the June 20 event. The foundation will also be sponsoring "Catch a Cold" Coffee Breaks at Coast Guard Base Boston and the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center throughout the summer. The USOs act as community centers for troops away from home, provide special programs for families and connect troops on tours of duty with family waiting back home. Their annual "Military Kids Are Heroes Too!" event celebrates the children of Hanscom Air Force Base and acknowledges the sacrifices they make as their parent serves the nation.
Community First CU Samantha Nooyen, an animal care specialist at the Fox Valley Humane Association in Appleton, Wis., poses with dogs Gus and Lucy. The $3.85 billion, Neenah, Wis.-based Community First Credit Union recently partnered with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago to provide a $10,000 donation to the Fox Valley Humane Association as part of a COVID-19 relief response to assist nonprofit organizations. Community First was the recipient of a grant from FHL Bank Chicago's COVID-19 Relief Program to be awarded to organizations in communities dealing with unexpected expenses due to COVID-19. The animal shelter re-opened to public visitation June 1 after being restricted to in-person animal care and virtual adoptions since March.
Fort Bragg FCU From left to right, Neal Spivey, vice president of real estate for Fort Bragg Federal Credit Union; Karoll A. McDonald of Habitat for Humanity and Todd Kenthack, president/CEO for FBFCU, show off a $500 donation to Habitat for Humanity. The $444 million, Fort Bragg, N.C.-based FBFCU recently donated over $26,000 to charities in North Carolina, with this one being its most recent.
Elevations CU Local musician Matt Mahern performs for residents and employees of Columbine Health Systems in Fort Collins, Colo. The $2.27 billion, Boulder, Colo.-based Elevations Credit Union hosted a free outdoor concert series through July featuring Mahern, and the credit union viewed each performance as an opportunity to thank the Columbine Health Systems team for their dedication and hard work during the COVID-19 pandemic. The private concerts were scheduled at all 12 of Columbine Health Systems' health and rehab, independent and assisted living facilities in Northern Colorado. The socially distanced performances took place outside with spaced-out seating areas, and most of the residents enjoyed the music from their rooms with windows and doors open.
Please send your Community news items to Natasha Chilingerian at [email protected].
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Natasha Chilingerian
Natasha Chilingerian has been immersed in the credit union industry for over a decade. She first joined CU Times in 2011 as a freelance writer, and following a two-year hiatus from 2013-2015, during which time she served as a communications specialist for Xceed Financial Credit Union (now Kinecta Federal Credit Union), she re-joined the CU Times team full-time as managing editor. She was promoted to executive editor in 2019. In the earlier days of her career, Chilingerian focused on news and lifestyle journalism, serving as a writer and editor for numerous regional publications in Oregon, Louisiana, South Carolina and the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, she holds experience in marketing copywriting for companies in the finance and technology space. At CU Times, she covers People and Community news, cybersecurity, fintech partnerships, marketing, workplace culture, leadership, DEI, branch strategies, digital banking and more. She currently works remotely and splits her time between Southern California and Portland, Ore.
