GoWest CU Association
Eight-year-old Jade Graczyk, the Miracle Child for the GoWest Credit Union Association's Totally Awesome CU4Kids Auction & 80's Prom Bash held during the association's MAXX Convention in Spokane, Wash., Oct. 4, poses on stage with her family. Graczyk was diagnosed with kidney cancer at age five and is now cancer-free. Credit union leaders from Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming raised $1.2 million for 11 Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, including Sacred Heart Children's Hospital in Spokane where Graczyk was treated, during the auction.
Addition Financial CU Representatives from award-winning nonprofits pose for a photo at the Addition Financial Foundation's Community Giving Celebration at Addition Financial Arena at the University of Central Florida in Orlando Oct. 4. The Addition Financial Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the $2.8 billion, Lake Mary, Fla.-based Addition Financial Credit Union, donated $175,000 to 13 organizations that benefit youth, education, underserved communities, economic development and more during the event. Each nonprofit selected was nominated by an Addition Financial team member.
AEA FCU The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco recently awarded $50,000 2023 AHEAD economic development grants to Campesinos Sin Fronteras, a nonprofit supporting the low-income, migrant and agriculture community in Arzonia's Yuma County, and Arizona Western College's Small Business Development Center (AWC SBDC). As an FHLBank San Francisco member, AEA Federal Credit Union ($389 million, Yuma, Ariz.) worked with Campesinos Sin Fronteras and AWC SBDC to apply for the grants. From left to right are Mayte Magdaleno Muñiz, AWC SBDC administrative assistant I; Mary Carmen Lopez and Mayra Franquez, AWC SBDC business counselors; Crystal Mendoza, director of the Small Business Development Center; Leticia Williams, AWC SBDC business counselor; Adele Sandberg, AEA president/CEO; Emma Torres, executive director of Campesinos Sin Fronteras; Chris Bolin, AEA SD/community impact officer; and Nancy Blitz, Campesinos Sin Fronteras board vice president.
Aggieland CU Aggieland Credit Union, a subsidiary of the $965 million, Austin-based Greater Texas Credit Union and the official credit union of Texas A&M University, recently awarded scholarships to students at the College Station-based Texas A&M. Aggieland established the scholarship program with Texas A&M in 2018, donating $10,000 per year and totaling $50,000 over the life of the partnership. This year, Texas A&M awarded $2,000 scholarships each to five Texas residents. The scholarship program has awarded funds to 25 students so far. Pictured from left to right are Aggieland CEO Howard Baker and Shane Hinckley with Texas A&M.
Earthmover CU From left to right, Vice President of Marketing & Business Development Janel Cabadas, Marketing Coordinator Alex Morales and Consumer Loan Associate Taylor Barringer, all with the $379 million, Oswego, Ill.-based Earthmover Credit Union, take a break during the credit union's drive-thru shred event held in collaboration with the Village of Montgomery, Ill., at the Montgomery Police Department on Sept. 23. Earthmover raised $1,567 in cash and $190 in online donations for Let It Be Us, a local nonprofit providing supportive services for families seeking to foster or adopt children, during the event.
Sacramento Valley Credit Union Network Six member credit unions of the Sacramento Valley Credit Union Network, a regional extension of the California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues, recently delivered toys, games and activity books for children undergoing treatment for neurodevelopmental disabilities at a clinic at the MIND Institute of UC Davis Children's Hospital, a Children's Miracle Network Hospital in Sacramento, Calif. From left to right are Dalia Velazquez, branch manager for SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union ($28.7 billion, Tustin, Calif.); Damian Alarcon, community development and government relations director for Travis Credit Union ($4.8 billion, Vacaville, Calif.); Erin Roseborough, CCLS Child Life Specialist II for the UC Davis MIND Institute; and Chelsea Dominguez, Program Coordinator for Children's Miracle Network.
Please send your Community news items to Natasha Chilingerian at [email protected].
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Natasha Chilingerian
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.
