Meals for the Military & Laptops for Students: Community News
Credit unions also make donations to organizations whose events were cancelled due to COVID-19.
Barbara Sistrunk (right), executive director of Summit Financial Wellness, hands laptops to Shelley Madison, the Mosaic Christian Community Association’s Jobs for Life administrator. Summit Financial Wellness, an independent non-profit organization founded by the $1.15 billion, Berrien Springs, Mich.-based Honor Credit Union, partnered with Honor’s IT department to donate 10 laptops to Mosaic’s Jobs for Life Program (JFL). The laptops will allow Mosaic to reach more participants during the pandemic by providing the technology needed for virtual classes and remote resources. Mosaic’s JFL, which provides the soft skills needed to enter the workforce and teaches students the dignity of work, welcomed Sistrunk as a partner in fall 2019. Sistrunk assists the non-profit by teaching classes on building healthy financial habits, setting financial goals and budgeting.
On Sept. 4, managers from the $250 million, York, Pa.-based First Capital Federal Credit Union took part in the United Way of York County’s Day of Action. Due to COVID-19, the Day of Action was postponed from June to September. More than 20 volunteers from First Capital and other organizations came together to work at the York County SPCA, weeding their grounds and helping spruce up the landscaping. Pictured from left to right (all of First Capital) are: HR/Training Manager Michele Wherley, Vice President of Operations David Morse, EVP of Finance Kevin Linden, Information Technology Manager Andrew Dombach, President/CEO Sue DeStephano, Internal Auditor/Compliance Officer Becky Braun, Vice President of Marketing & Business Development Tara Houser, Assistant Vice President of Consumer Lending Katie Dethloff, Controller Trena Stonebraker, E-Services/Contact Center Manager Jeremy Ackerley, Assistant Vice President of Member Services Bobbie Ford and Assistant Vice President of Business Services Wendy Bixler.
New Horizons Credit Union Mortgage Specialist April Wright (left) and NHCU President/CEO Edith Franklin (right) present a $1,000 check to Tonie Ann Coumanis Torrans with the Penelope House in Mobile, Ala. Despite several attempts to reschedule, the annual major fundraiser for the Penelope House – the Mobile Chocolate Festival – was cancelled due to COVID-19, and the $226 million, Mobile-based NHCU donated its sponsor dollars to support the organization. The funds were made possible by credit union employee fundraising efforts through its Horizons Helping Hands program. The Penelope House provides safety, protection and support to victims of domestic violence and their children.
Abbi Voegel (left), business development officer for the $2.48 billion, Indianapolis-based Indiana Members Credit Union, presents a $542 check to Adam Scott, executive director for the Hendricks Regional Health Foundation on Aug. 28 as part of an ongoing debit card giveback program. IMCU members can support the independent nonprofit hospital in Plainfield, Ind., by signing up for a Hendricks Regional Health debit card, which benefits the foundation every time the card is used as a signature-based transaction. Since beginning the program in 2017, Hendricks Regional Health Foundation has earned $3,187 through the IMCU giveback program.
Credit union officials present a donation at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. While the 48th annual Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run was cancelled this year due to COVID-19, credit unions and industry partners still donated over $439,000 to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMNH). With the support of credit unions and industry partners, particularly co-lead sponsors PSCU, CUNA Mutual Group and CO-OP Financial Services, Credit Union Miracle Day raised $439,155 for CMNH through its title sponsorship of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run. Of the total donated to CMNH, $94,000 was raised by runners, their families and friends. Since becoming the title sponsors of races in 2002, Credit Union Miracle Day, a collaboration of over 100 credit unions, business partners and CUSOs, has donated almost $10 million to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across the country.
Kinecta Federal Credit Union President/CEO Keith Sultemeier cuts brisket for newly-enlisted military service members on Sept. 10. To show gratitude for their bravery and sacrifice, the $5 billion Kinecta in Manhattan Beach, Calif., teamed up with long-standing partner Bob Hope USO to distribute free meals to approximately 150 newly-enlisted service men and women from local branches of the military, just ahead of the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The event took place at the military entrance processing center in El Segundo, Calif., the busiest in the nation, swearing in 12,000 Americans. It is the largest-volume facility of its kind, where nearly 5% of all U.S. military members start their service. Bob Hope USO, a private nonprofit organization, provides services and programming to members of the military and their families throughout Southern California.
Please send your Community news items to Natasha Chilingerian at nchilingerian@cutimes.com.