CUs Support Housing Initiatives, Food Distribution & Books for Kids

Volunteers from Vibe Credit Union ($1.2 billion, Novi, Mich.) and other organizations showcase the impact of a recent food distribution initiative. On March 20, Vibe partnered with local organizations Metro Food Rescue, Zelphia’s Community Kitchen and the NOAH Project to provide meals for people facing food insecurity in the Metro Detroit area. Thirty Vibe employee volunteers teamed up with Metro Food Rescue to create 1,000 soup kits and 300 bagged lunches for distribution to those in need. In addition to their volunteer work, Vibe donated $20,000 to Metro Food Rescue to support its mission of reducing food waste and addressing food insecurity in the community. Vibe’s donation will provide 180,000 meals for people and families in Metro Detroit. The bagged lunches were distributed on March 21 by five Vibe employee volunteers in cooperation with the NOAH Project. Soup kits were donated to Zelphia’s Community Kitchen and will provide 4,000 meals to those in need.

Del-One Federal Credit Union ($657 million, Dover, Del.) recently signed an agreement with affordable housing organization The Springboard Collective to serve as the exclusive financial institution to provide literacy programs and workshops, and an onsite ATM, to residents of the Georgetown Pallet Village, a transitional housing community in Georgetown, Del. In partnership with Visa, Del-One also donated $50,000 to help fund a new Community Center in the Village. Pictured from left to right on the site of the planned Community Center are Senior Associate of Horizon Philanthropic Services Chuck Ward, Georgetown Mayor Bill West, and The Springboard Collaborative Co-founder and Director of Operations Judson Malone with Del-One Board Chair Steve Smith, President/CEO Ron Baron, Chief Lending Officer John Chartrand, Director of Branch Operations Donna Robinson and Assistant Director of Branch Operations Adrian Romero.

Representatives from the $1.2 billion, Sparks, Md.-based First Financial Federal Credit Union present a $25,000 sponsorship to support the Outstanding Young Women Leaders program through Towson University in Towson, Md., in partnership with Baltimore County Public Schools. First Financial has supported this program through financial sponsorship and volunteerism as various staff members serve as mentors to the students in the program. The credit union also recently provided $10,000 to First Fruits Farm in Parkton, Md., which provides fresh produce to food banks and other organizations that fight hunger. First Financial employees have volunteered at First Fruits Farm for six years.

Students at Oak Meadows Elementary School in Austin, Texas check out new books in a Little Locker funded by the $971 million, Austin-based Greater Texas Credit Union. Greater Texas partnered with the TEXAS YES Project, an educational non-profit, to provide the lockers to elementary schools in the state’s Manor Independent School District to help improve literacy and make books more accessible in communities without a local library. The Little Lockers are stocked with new books and activities that children can access anytime.

The $884 million Leominster Credit Union in Leominster, Mass., recently donated $5,000 to support the Leominster Mayor’s Energy Program, which helps cover home heating costs for people in need. Pictured with Leominster Mayor Dea­n J. Mazzarella is Leominster President/CEO Barbara Mahoney.

The SECU Foundation, the charitable arm of the $50.9 billion, Raleigh, N.C.-based SECU, recently awarded a $40,000 grant for the non-profit Hope Restorations in North Carolina’s Lenoir County. The funding will support the expansion of the non-profit’s program model for adults recovering from addiction and/or incarceration through intervention programs and job skills training in home restoration and renovation. Pictured from left to right are SECU SVP Lara Lang Tribula and Hope Restorations CEO Chris Jenkins.

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