Credit Unions Step Up to Brighten the Holiday Season

The $4 billion, Vacaville, Calif.-based Travis Credit Union recently sponsored the Travis Air Force Base (TAFB) Festival of Trees Auction, supporting the TAFB Fisher House in Fairfield, Calif., with a $10,000 contribution from the credit union’s board of directors. The donation will help cover operational costs of the Fisher House, which hosts military members and their families free of charge while receiving extended care at David Grant Medical Center at TAFB. Pictured from left to right are 2nd Lieutenant DeJaye Herrera, 1st Lieutenant Jockey Rojas and 2nd Lieutenant Kayla Simmons, members of the 60th Maintenance Group and Logistics Officer Association at Travis AFB. TCU’s 2020 holiday giving initiatives also included:

• Participating in “Remember a Vet” (Wreaths across America) by recognizing fallen veterans at the Annual Wreath Project, ensuring each veteran’s gravesite is honored at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery during the holiday season;
• Sponsoring the TAFB Chapter of Operation Homefront, providing 200 meals to service members and their families;
• Raising more than $7,100 and sponsoring 142 children as part of the Christmas Wish initiative; and
• Supporting the Children’s Miracle Network through the 2020 Holiday Stocking Campaign. Instead of hanging paper stockings in branches this year, the Travis Credit Union Foundation created a page on its website to display virtual stockings, each one representing a member donation. One hundred percent of funds raised through Dec. 31 will be distributed to the UC Davis Children’s Hospital and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland, Calif.

Tanya Winstead, community outreach and events officer for the $776 million, Tuscaloosa, Ala.-based Alabama One Credit Union, stands by Christmas gifts collected for local children as part of the Alabama ONE Foundation Operation Credit Union Christmas at an Alabama One office. Since 2003, the Alabama ONE Foundation Operation Credit Union Christmas has helped over 5,000 children throughout Alabama’s Tuscaloosa, Pickens, Fayette and Mr. Vernon counties.

Associates from the $3 billion, Philadelphia-based American Heritage Credit Union contribute non-perishable food boxes, turkey and ham dinners, and $25,000 in the form of $100 gift cards to over 250 families in need in the Philadelphia area as part of the credit union’s Spirit of Giving initiative. In addition, as part of its Adopt-A-Family program, the credit union raised over $20,000 to purchase wish list items for 20 families in the areas it serves in partnership with several community organizations. Through the Adopt-A-Family program, American Heritage also adopted 24 children from Ridge Crest Pediatric Services in Sellersville, Pa., providing essentials such as health care supplies, toiletries and cleaning supplies.

Credit Union of Georgia employees Jessica Namynanik (left) and Heather Bulloch ring bells for the $431 million, Woodstock, Ga.-based credit union’s very own sponsored kettle in front of a local Kroger store in December. The credit union helped kick off the Salvation Army’s bell-ringing season during the 2020 Red Kettle Kick Off at the Salvation Army location on Waterman Street in Marietta, Ga., by presenting a check for $1,250 to support the cause. Additionally, Credit Union of Georgia sponsored a kettle and employees volunteered their time to ring the bell.

Brickhouse Pizza business owners receive donated gift cards from representatives of the $2 billion, Anaheim Hills, Calif.-based Credit Union of Southern California as part of the credit union’s “Merry Givemas” event on Dec. 18. CU SoCal donated $100,000 to more than 50 Whittier, Calif., area businesses hard-hit by the pandemic and its economic fallout. The credit union donated four gift cards to each business that could be given to employees. In addition, the credit union donated $50,000 to the Women’s and Children’s Crisis Shelter and the Interfaith Food Center, both located in Whittier.  

The $1.6 billion, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.-based Hanscom Federal Credit Union donated $1,000 worth of new toiletries and other personal care items to the Department of Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS) in support of the VA Boston Healthcare System on the Brockton, Mass., campus. The Brockton VA Medical Center offers both short- and long-term care to veterans, including rehabilitation, medical, psychiatric and hospice care. Toiletries and personal items such as shaving cream, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes, toothpaste, socks, shoes and undergarments are appreciated by patients at the hospital, who often find it difficult to obtain the personal care items they need during their stay. Pictured from left to right are Eben Orcutt, voluntary service program support assistant for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration – Boston Healthcare System and Laura Galeski, social responsibility manager for Hanscom FCU.

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