Winners
How was your Credit Union a Hero in 2020?
By Donna Adinolfe
We are thrilled to announce the winners of our November contest, asking How Was Your Credit Union a Hero in 2020?
First place goes to Solarity Credit Union, Yakima, WA, for their Do Good in Your Neighborhood campaign. They are the winners of a $250 donation to their favorite organization.
The second-place winner is Travis Credit Union, Vacaville, CA, for raising millions for COVID-19 relief. They won a $100 donation to their favorite organization.
Coming in third place is First Community Credit Union, Beloit, WI, for offering COVID-19 Small Business Grants. They won a $50 donation to their favorite organization.
Honorable mention goes to Horizons North Credit Union, Westminster, CO, for their shred event and mask giveaway.
First Place
Solarity Credit Union, Yakima, WA
Do Good in Your Neighborhood
In an effort to support local businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, Solarity launched a do-good campaign, inspiring people to “do good in your neighborhood and help keep local business healthy, too.”
They created copy, graphics and ideas for people and businesses to use for supporting their own communities with the slogan, “Don’t Roam, Support From Home.”
The campaign matched consumer needs with the needs of small businesses and their employees; promoted safe consumer behaviors over less safe means of purchase and clearly identified for people another way they could help make a positive contribution during the crisis.
Using their website, social graphics, social copy and ads, they achieved more impressions, engagement and commitments from other leaders to participate.
The new call to “Do Good in Your Neighborhood” matched consumer needs with the needs of small businesses and their employees, keeping the focus on small businesses and local economic health and identifying ways for people to continue to make a positive impact in the wake of the pandemic.
The campaign called for individuals to share social media posts in support of local businesses, tell their friends which local businesses are open for delivery and remote services and to support local businesses. It also suggested businesses change their profile photo to the “Do Good in Your Neighborhood” campaign logo.
Susan Starkweather Stone and Terri Russell of Empower Yolo, one of the organizations which benefited from Travis Credit Union’s COVID-19 relief campaign.
Second Place
Travis Credit Union, Vacaville, CA
Millions raised for COVID-19 Relief
While business shutdowns, self-quarantines and “shelter in home” orders have kept many people safe from the virus, they have also limited the capacity of families to access income, food and much-needed resources. Community organizations are continuing to provide more services with less resources.
Travis Credit Union, in Vacaville, CA responded to the pandemic by first dispersing $1 million to 96 non-profits in the counties we serve to provide immediate relief for public health and long-term economic challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The foundation announced that it raised over $1 million for the COVID-19 Relief Initiative, which was matched by Travis Credit Union, for a total of $2 million, which is being distributed to 83 local community organizations, many of which are providing resources and services to individuals and families impacted by the pandemic.
Travis Credit Union matched every dollar raised by the Travis Credit Union Foundation up to $20,000, for a maximum of $40,000 total per agency.
TCU also helped with resources to support financial wellness by:
- Waiving fees for transactions at non-co-op network ATMs, overdraft transfer fees, Skip-a-Pay (deferred payments) and credit card late charges.
- Mortgage Payment Forbearance: Members who have a mortgage with TCU may request to defer a payment due to financial hardship.Disaster Relief Loan Program: This program allows TCU members to borrow up to $10,000.
Third Place
First Community Credit Union
Beloit, WI
COVID-19 Small Business Grants
First Community Credit Union donated a total of $36,500 to local nonprofit organizations, small businesses and community members impacted by COVID-19.
FirstCCU received a total of $35,000 in grants from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago to help assist small business and nonprofit organizations in their local communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the beginning of the pandemic, FirstCCU hosted a giveaway on the FirstCCU Facebook page giving community members the opportunity to win gift cards to local small businesses. A total of $1,500 in gift cards were given away featuring several local businesses.
Honorable Mention
Horizons North Credit Union, Westminster, CO
Shred Event, Mask Giveaway
Horizons North Credit Union helped sponsor a community shred event in August 2020. Credit unions are known for shred events, but this year Horizons North CU had a record-breaking turnout for this annual event.
Since it needed to adjust for COVID-19, HNCU decided to purchase 1,000 masks to give away, ensuring it was helping to keep the community safe.
Working with the local police department, they adjusted to a drive-through event and team members gave up a Saturday morning to assist. They were able to make a big impact with the drive-up and drop off event:
During the event community members donated over $14,000 to Metro Denver Crime Stoppers. The credit union collected and shredded over 40 tons of sensitive material.
Two officers presented HNCU with a plaque for their support of the annual event and community.
