CUs Celebrate Pride Month, Educate Youth & Support Local Nonprofits

Volunteers from Vibe Credit Union ($1.2 billion, Novi, Mich.), take a break during the Ferndale Pride Festival in Ferndale, Mich., on June 3. Vibe supported the Pride Month event by sponsoring pet photos in collaboration with the Animal Welfare Society, as well as welcoming the public with celebratory pins in front of its Ferndale branch. The credit union has been sponsoring a variety of activities throughout Pride Month, including Prom ReDeux hosted by Affirmations in Ferndale, and the Palmer Park 5k Run & Walk organized by Welcome Home Yoga in the Palmer Park area of Detroit, Mich.

Representatives from the $1.1 billion, Allentown, Pa.-based First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union mark their new financial literacy partnership with the Allentown School District and Raub Middle School in Allentown. Through its WeThrive Foundation, First Commonwealth committed $100,000 over three years to the middle school to be used to provide financial education to eighth grade students and their families. Additionally, funding from First Commonwealth will provide financial support for reading incentives, after-school programming and the school store, as well as student events such as the eighth grade dance and graduation.

Greater Texas Credit Union President/CEO Howard Baker (fourth from left, in back), poses with employees who participated in the Cap10K race in Austin, Texas after handing them medals. Greater Texas ($969 million, Austin), which has been a financial partner of the race for four years, served as sponsor of the race photos this year, making them available free of charge to race participants. Through the sponsorship, Greater Texas also provided 20 race entries to local runners to participate in the 10K. In addition, the credit union handed out swag bags filled with goodies and prizes to attendees as they picked up their race materials during the two-day Health and Fitness Expo held prior to the race.

Members of the marketing team for Hughes Federal Credit Union ($1.8 billion, Tucson, Ariz.) and local artist Diana Madaras (right) present Tucson Wildlife Center President and Founder Pete Lininger (second from right) and Executive Director Lisa Bates (second from left) with a $12,000 donation. The contribution was made possible through Hughes' affinity debit card program, specifically the Hughes "Little Prowler" debit card design, developed in partnership with Madaras. The Hughes "Little Prowler" debit card showcases Madaras' southern Arizona wildlife artwork, and for each debit card issued, Hughes donates $5 to the Tucson Wildlife Center. Cardholders also receive a 10% discount on select merchandise at Madaras Gallery.

Lehigh Valley Health Network Director of Development Adam Selmasska (left) receives a $30,000 check from George Nahodil, president/CEO for Members 1st Federal Credit Union (second from left); Sara Firestone, assistant vice president of community relations for Members 1st (second from right) and Mike Wilson, chief experience officer for Members 1st (far right). The $7.1 billion, Enola, Pa.-based credit union held its 26th Annual Charity Golf Classic on June 5 at the Hershey Country Club in Derry Township, Pa., which drew more than 140 golfers and 70 sponsors. The event raised over $155,000 total for central and eastern Pennsylvania beneficiaries including the Lehigh Valley Health Network, Aaron's Acres, Midwest Food Bank and The Salvation Army – Harrisburg.

From left to right, Tammy Lynn Center (TLC) CEO Sarah Crawford; SECU Foundation board members Ben McLawhorn, Brad McMillen and Jennifer Haygood; SECU Foundation Board Chair Bob Brinson and TLC Campaign Co-chair Charles Leffler break ground on a multi-phase campus expansion of the TLC, the Tammy Lynn Memorial Foundation's hub for statewide operations in North Carolina's Wake County. A $1.5 million grant from the SECU Foundation (the charitable arm of the $50.7 billion, Raleigh, N.C.-based SECU) will help fund the expansion of the TLC, which provides programs for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The project will address aging facilities and strengthen the TLC's capacity to provide quality care through increased space and state-of-the-art technology.

Please send your Community news items to Natasha Chilingerian at [email protected].

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Natasha Chilingerian has been immersed in the credit union industry for over a decade. She first joined CU Times in 2011 as a freelance writer, and following a two-year hiatus from 2013-2015, during which time she served as a communications specialist for Xceed Financial Credit Union (now Kinecta Federal Credit Union), she re-joined the CU Times team full-time as managing editor. She was promoted to executive editor in 2019. In the earlier days of her career, Chilingerian focused on news and lifestyle journalism, serving as a writer and editor for numerous regional publications in Oregon, Louisiana, South Carolina and the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, she holds experience in marketing copywriting for companies in the finance and technology space. At CU Times, she covers People and Community news, cybersecurity, fintech partnerships, marketing, workplace culture, leadership, DEI, branch strategies, digital banking and more. She currently works remotely and splits her time between Southern California and Portland, Ore.