Biltmore Village in Asheville, N.C.
Credit/American Red Cross
More than a week after Hurricane Helene left more than 200 people dead and destroyed the lives of millions from Florida to North Carolina, credit unions have announced millions in donations to help in the recovery.
On Friday, the foundation for the Raleigh, N.C.-based State Employees' Credit Union ($56 billion in assets, 2.8 million members) announced a $3.75 million donation as part of a disaster relief package to be split among five organizations that are currently working on the ground to help communities recover in North Carolina.
According to a statement from the SECU Foundation, the following five organizations will receive portions of the donation:
- $1 million to Feeding the Carolinas
- $1 million to The Salvation Army of the Carolinas
- $1 million to Baptists on Mission
- $500,000 to the American Red Cross North Carolina
- $250,000 to Meals on Wheels North Carolina
"The impacts of Hurricane Helene will be felt for a long time and the needs of those affected are many," SECU Foundation Board Chair Chris Ayers said. "The Foundation grants will provide some much-needed relief to help address the increased demand for services as these organizations respond to community needs. We are grateful for the unwavering commitment of these nonprofits and their volunteers."
SECU Foundation Executive Director Jama Campbell added, "The devastation that Hurricane Helene brought to our Western North Carolina family, friends and neighbors is tremendous. North Carolina faces unbelievable challenges, and we need each other now more than ever. Our Foundation will continue to monitor relief efforts and help our communities on this long path of recovery."
According to the SECU Foundation, the funds are designated as general purpose to give the organizations the maximum flexibility to serve their communities and will be used to provide water, food, shelter and other emergency needs.
Other donations were announced on Friday, including from the Amherst, Ohio-based LorMet Community Federal Credit Union ($250 million in assets, 19,653 members). The credit union announced it donated $20,000 to the American Red Cross for hurricane relief efforts across the southeastern U.S.
"When natural disasters such as this affect our country, the call for help extends at a national level," Daniel Cwalina, president/CEO of LorMet Community Credit Union, said. "Businesses and individuals came together immediately to provide families affected by this tragedy with humanitarian aid. The devastation is heart wrenching and reminiscent of Hurricane Katrina, a tragedy that also compelled LorMet to offer its support at that time. There are people still unaccounted for and others stranded. Our prayers and thoughts are with every person affected by this unimaginable tragedy."
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
Michael Ogden
Editor-in-Chief at CU Times. To connect, email at [email protected]. As Editor-in-Chief of CU Times since 2016, Michael Ogden has led the editorial team in all aspects of content strategy and execution, including the creation of the publication’s exclusive and proprietary research database of the credit union industry’s economic landscape. Under Michael’s leadership, CU Times has successfully shifted to an all-digital editorial product with new focuses on the payments, fraud, lending and regulatory beats. Most recently, he introduced a data-focused editorial product for subscribers that breaks down credit union issues into hard data, allowing for a deeper and more factual narrative for readers. In 2024, he launched the "Shared Accounts With CU Times" podcast, which offers a fresh, inside-the-newsroom perspective through interviews with leaders from the credit union industry and the regulatory world. He dives into pressing credit union issues, while revealing the personalities working behind-the-scenes to push the credit union world forward. His background includes years as a radio and TV anchor/reporter and a public relations and digital/social media manager, where he covered the food and music industries, as well as cooperatives and credit unions. Over the years, he has launched numerous exclusive video and podcast series, including a successful series of interactive backstage interviews with musicians at music festivals, showcasing his social media and live streaming production skills.
