Credit Union Organizations Spread Some Kindness

A little kindness can go a long way in today’s world that has been battered by the health and economic coronavirus crisis. That’s why credit union organizations are spreading some kindness to lift the spirits of people and their communities.

The $4.2 billion SECU in Linthicum, Md., announced last week the kick-off of a month-long fundraising campaign to spread kindness, raise funds to support the SECU MD Foundation, and do good in their communities. And in the Land of Lincoln, the Illinois Credit Union League celebrated its second annual CU Kind Day last week, an initiative to spread some kindness. The league garnered the support if 55 credit unions and partners across the state.

The SECU Kindness Campaign involve its employees, members and partners, as well as the greater community, with a goal of raising a minimum of $75,000 for the SECU MD Foundation, performing 3,000 acts of kindness in one day, and inspiring others to do the same throughout October.

The campaign was initially launched by employees and SECU members on Oct. 1 and has already raised more than $14,000 for the SECU MD Foundation. The campaign kicked off publicly last week as SECU’s “Day of Kindness,” which started with all SECU employees receiving kindness kits to facilitate performing simple acts of kindness.

The kits, which are also available to the public, contain supplies for activities that can be done at home or in the community, such as kindness cards to leave on a stranger’s windshield, sidewalk chalk and rocks to decorate and spread positive messages in the neighborhood, and postcards to send to friends, family or those in need of an uplifting message.

“Kindness is rooted in what we believe in most — empowering you — our employees, members and all Marylanders to spread kindness at a time when it’s much needed,” Dave Sweiderk, president/CEO of SECU. “Each of us has the ability to empower, support and serve others. We hope our employees’ partners’ and members’ individual acts of kindness will inspire a ripple effect, far greater than the acts themselves.”

Participation in ICUL’s CU Kind Day is based in the credit union principle of people helping people. The day is a commitment to support the communities credit unions serve.

On October 12, more than 2,100 credit union volunteers collectively supported 104 community organizations. What’s more, the event generated more than $75,000 in goods and donations.

“Especially now, amid the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis, CU Kind Day highlights that our mindset as an industry hasn’t changed – people are still our first priority,” ICUL President/CEO Tom Kane, said. “I look at the CU Kind Day initiative as a great demonstration of that mindset; it is an opportunity to show our communities how important they are to credit unions and to our movement.”

The league launched CU Kind Day last year with the purpose of spreading kindness and generating awareness for the good work credit unions do in their communities and for their members.