CUs Spread Holiday Cheer to Nonprofits, Animal Shelters & Firefighters

Horizons Helping Hands Team members from the $226.3 million, Mobile, Ala.-based New Horizons Credit Union show off a check with NHCU President/CEO Edith Franklin (second from left) representing the credit union’s fundraising efforts for local animal shelters. NHCU employees raised funds during 2020 for select charities including local animal shelters Animal Rescue Foundation, Mobile County Animal Shelter, Daphne Animal Shelter and Clarke County Animal Shelter, which each received a portion of the $1,000 raised. NHCU employees vote annually on which charities they would like to support as part of the team’s Horizons Helping Hands community outreach program. The fundraising primarily stems from special jeans days and other internal activities conducted throughout the credit union.

Kitsap Credit Union President/CEO Shawn Gilfedder (right) presents a check to Kathy Raymond of local food bank ShareNet. On Dec. 7, 2020, the $1.65 billion, Bremerton, Wash.-based Kitsap presented check donations totaling $130,000 to 25 local food banks and Backpack for Kids organizations from Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason and Pierce Counties in Washington State at its Holiday Cash and Dash event the credit union hosted at its Harborside Corporate Office. Twenty-four local organizations each received a $5,000 donation from the credit union. Washington State’s leading hunger relief agency, Northwest Harvest, received $10,000. Recipients were greeted with a musical entrance as they pulled into the drive-thru event, where each organization was presented with a giant check along with a real check.

InRoads Credit Union President/CEO Brooke Van Vleet (right) and Business Development Officer Jason Moos (center) present toys and clothes to Abby Olson, executive director of Riverside Community Outreach, as part of InRoads’ Week of Giving. The $302.5 million, St. Helens, Ore.-based InRoads used social media videos to help raise awareness for seven local non-profit organizations over seven days, in addition to donating to each. The Week of Giving ran from Dec. 14 through 20. The goal of the week-long effort was to donate funds, supplies, toys and more to important non-profits serving the community while encouraging their members to do the same. Using social media platforms, the credit union raised awareness of the organizations amongst its 2,000-plus followers during the holiday season. Along with a daily video to promote each of the seven charities, the credit union’s donations included $500 worth of hams for the Columbia Pacific Food Bank, plenty of toys for CASA, clothes and toys for Riverside Community Outreach, home supplies for Habitat for Humanity, a $1,500 donation to CU 4 Kids benefitting Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, gift cards for SAFE, and a donation of office supplies and pet food for the Columbia Humane Society.

Representatives from the $823.4 million, Santa Fe, N.M.-based Del Norte Credit Union and firefighters from the Los Alamos Fire Department gather at a local station. DNCU recently purchased turkey vouchers for each of its 200 employees and their families, and announced a pay-it-forward project to donate 300 turkeys to random members before the end of the year. The credit union also supported fellow essential workers by providing full turkey meals to four fire departments in northern New Mexico. In all, 13 stations and 98 firefighters from the Santa Fe City, Los Alamos, Española and Ojo Sarco Fire Departments were included. In past years, DNCU employees were given the opportunity to pay it forward at grocery stores during the holiday season by paying for random families’ groceries worth up to $100 on behalf of the credit union. With the pandemic and case levels at record highs, DNCU postponed the “Grocery Giveaway” project. Opting for a safer opportunity to improve lives, DNCU purchased 300 turkey vouchers valid at any Albertson’s grocery store to surprise its members during the final days of the year.

From left to right, Pierre, S.D., City Commissioner Vona Johnson, Alexis Timmons of Black Hills Federal Credit Union, Pierre City Outdoor Pool Committee Chair Ron Woodburn, Allycen Herrman of BHFCU and Mikal Henry of BHFCU show off a $10,000 check donated by BHFCU for the City of Pierre pool complex project. The donation will be used toward the $13 million effort to replace Pierre’s current 90-year-old outdoor pool a modern outdoor pool complex, which will include features including a lazy river, water slides, a zip line, diving boards, children’s areas and a concession stand. In addition, the pool will be accessible to all in the community with zero-depth entry. Construction is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2021. The $13 million project is funded through a $10 million allocation by the city, with public and private donations contributing the remaining $3 million. BHFCU’s donation was made through the Black Hills FCU Charitable Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Staff members from the $626.8 million, Lawrenceville, Ga.-based Peach State Federal Credit Union pose with some of the toys to be donated to “Toys for Tots” thanks to generous donations from members and staff. Each year, donation boxes are placed in all of Peach State’s branch locations as well as its corporate headquarters in Lawrenceville to help less-fortunate children have a happy holiday.

Please send your Community news items to Natasha Chilingerian at nchilingerian@cutimes.com.