Credit Union Employees Bring In Their Kids for a Day of Service

Children of Vibe Credit Union employees prepare produce for salads during the $1.2 billion, Novi, Mich.-based credit union’s “Take Your Child to Work Day” on April 27. Thirty-three children of Vibe employees spent the day giving back to the community by making soup kits and packed salads for food-insecure people, as well as making blankets for shelter animals. The children made 250 soup kits (equal to 1,000 meals) and 80 servings of salad, and packed 172 lunches for distribution to local food pantries by Metro Food Rescue. They also made five blankets for animals at the Animal Welfare Society.

Employees of Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union ($4.1 billion, St. Paul, Minn.) take an ice-cold plunge in support of Special Olympics Minnesota. As part of Special Olympics Minnesota’s 25th annual Polar Plunge event, Affinity Plus offered participants a $50 donation toward their $75 fundraising minimum for the event when they signed up using the credit union’s custom promo code. Plungers that used the code at registration went on to collectively raise over $830,000 for Special Olympics Minnesota this year, and as part of the promotion, Affinity Plus made a direct donation to the organization for more than $115,000. In addition, over 160 Affinity Plus employees took the plunge in 13 Minnesota communities, raising more than $67,000 for Special Olympics Minnesota. The credit union also partnered with Minnesota State University Moorhead to host the Moorhead community’s first ever Polar Plunge event.

First Financial Federal Credit Union ($1.3 billion, Sparks, Md.) recognizes scholarship winners at its 70th Annual Meeting on April 20. In the 25th year of the credit union’s scholarship program, 53 graduating seniors received a total of $159,000 in scholarships for post-secondary institutions. The program is open to graduating students who attend Maryland’s Baltimore, Carroll, Worcester and Somerset County Public Schools as well as private schools within First Financial’s field of membership.

John P. Buckley, Jr. (back center in yellow), president/CEO for the $226 million, Fremont, Mich.-based Gerber Federal Credit Union, and second graders from Michigan’s Fremont School District display donated copies of “Owl + Otter and the Big Yard Sale,” which was written specifically for Michigan Credit Unions and the Smart Money Kids Read Program. Gerber staff donated more than 700 copies of the book to students, teachers and libraries in nine school districts last month. Following readings of the book, staff discussed good money management skills with the students.

Leominster Credit Union ($917 million, Leominster, Mass.) kicked off Financial Literacy Month by presenting a check for $3,000 to Fitchburg High School (FHS) in Fitchburg, Mass., funding three $1,000 student scholarships. Throughout Financial Literacy Month in April, LCU also offered free financial education resources, including webinars and workshops. Pictured from left to right are LCU President/CEO Barbara Mahoney, FHS Director of Finance and Operations Jerry Roche, LCU SVP/Retail Katie Najjar and FHS Interim Principal Tonya Jarrett.

NET Credit Union ($263 million, Scranton, Pa.) recently sponsored the new Interactive Wall of Fame for Pennsylvania’s Mid Valley School District, a NET Preferred Partner Group. The Wall of Fame is an interactive and digital touch screen that displays athletic awards, general school history and information for past students, present students, future students and the community. There will be three screens will be installed throughout the district’s high school and elementary school, as well as an outdoor display at its future pavilion within the Athletic Complex. Pictured from left to right are Mid Valley Secondary Center Principal Jeffrey Kovaleski, NET Credit Union Taylor Branch Manager Christina Dehaba, NET Olyphant Branch Manager Jessica Tonkin, NET Marketing Manager Lauren Pabst and Mid Valley Director of Transportation/Athletics Tom Nowaowski.

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