Farming, Bringing Smiles to Kids & Providing Showers: CUs Give Back

Teachers Federal Credit Union President/CEO Brad Calhoun (left) presents a $20,000 check to Island Harvest President/CEO Randi Shubin Dresner at the Island Harvest Healthy Harvest Farm in Brentwood, N.Y. The $8.7 billion, Hauppauge, N.Y.-based Teachers’ sponsorship of the farm includes weekly volunteer opportunities for Teachers employees, who can receive paid time off to assist with various tasks on the grounds including planting, raking and weeding. Island Harvest Food Bank recently reopened its Healthy Harvest Farm to supply over 20,000 pounds of locally grown fruits and vegetables to those struggling with hunger in the Long Island, N.Y., region.

Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union President/CEO Mark Cochran (center), SVP and Chief Member Experience Officer Michael Dubuque (second from right) and Community Engagement Officer Alison Hughes (right), along with Lowell General Hospital employees show off a Smile Station cart that the $1.7 billion, Lowell, Mass.-based credit union donated to the hospital as part of its Small Acts That Give Back program. The Smile Station cart was loaded with card games, fidget toys, activity books and more, all with the goal of distracting and entertaining a young ER patient in a time of high anxiety. Jeanne D’Arc donated two carts, one to each of the two-campus hospital’s Emergency Departments.

Cooperative Credit Union Association President/CEO Ronald McLean (left) and New Hampshire Social Responsibility Committee Chairman Brian Hughes of HRCU ($381 million, Rochester, N.H.), present a $150,000 check to Make-A-Wish New Hampshire CEO Julie Baron (center). New Hampshire Credit Unions, the largest corporate partner of Make-A-Wish New Hampshire, made the donation at the annual Richard D. Mahoney Charity Golf Tournament in late June. Over 120 golfers, representing New Hampshire Credit Unions, their business partners and members of the CCUA, gathered for the first time in over 15 months at Candia Woods Golf Links in Candia, N.H.

The New York Credit Union Association – Long Island Chapter recently donated $30,000 to benefit the Pediatric Diabetes Program at Cohen Children’s Medical Center of Queens, N.Y., representing what would normally be the amount raised by the group’s annual Golf Outing. From left to right are Eric Oterson of Jovia Financial Credit Union ($3.8 billion, Westbury, N.Y.), Robert Muir of Town of Hempstead Employees Federal Credit Union ($150 million, North Baldwin, N.Y.), Victoria Loachino of Cohen Children’s Medical Center and the Northwell Health Foundation, Kevin Healy of PenFed Credit Union ($27.2 billion, McLean, N.Y.), Interim Chief of Pediatric Endocrinology Dr. Graeme Frank of Cohen Children’s Medical Center, Michelle Traynor of Bethpage Federal Credit Union ($10.8 billion, Bethpage, N.Y.) and Tricia Daley of Ocean Financial Federal Credit Union ($365 million, Oceanside, N.Y.).

Redstone Federal Credit Union’s Jamie Wiswosser-Holt assists a man as he heads into the ShowerUp mobile shower. Employees with the $6.8 billion, Huntsville, Ala.-based Redstone recently raised cash and donated toiletries to ShowerUp Huntsville, a non-profit that provides hot showers to the homeless and anyone who needs one. They donated $1,618 and an SUV full of travel-size toiletries to the non-profit, which also provides clean washcloths and towels, new underwear and socks, and all necessary toiletries.

Attendees of the free community Summer Kick-Off Celebration and children’s literacy event StoryWalk enjoy a bike ride at Shenandoah Park in American Canyon, Calif., on June 18. The $6.6 billion, Santa Rosa, Calif.-based Redwood Credit Union funded the event through a grant to the American Canyon Community & Parks Foundation (ACCPF). The day included 16 children’s reading stations, live music, food trucks, oversize picnic games and visits from local elected officials, who served as guest readers and walking tour chaperones. See American Canyon Mayor Leon Garcia and ACCPF Executive Director Janelle Sellick (to his left) officially kick off the event in this video released by RCU.

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