💚 News from the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation 💚

Credit unions respond to the war in Ukraine: The Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions, the charitable arm of the World Council of Credit Unions, has mobilized the Ukrainian Credit Union Displacement Fund to provide financial support to mitigate both the short- and long-term impacts to Ukraine’s credit union system, its employees, and the members and communities it serves. All of the donations received will be directed to two areas, the immediate humanitarian response of Ukrainian refugees and the long-term recovery of Ukraine's credit union system. An update on Ukraine's credit union system will be released later this week from WOCCU.

Registration opens for free DEI Workshop March 22 - 24, 9-11am daily

The Carolinas Credit Union Foundation in partnership with the Carolinas Credit Union League and State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) is hosting a virtual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Workshop March 22-24. The workshop is available free of charge to any credit union employee in the Carolinas thanks to the support of the League and SECU.

Slated presenters include the African American Credit Union Coalition’s Emma Norman and Renee Sattiewhite, Civic and Local Government Federal Credit Union’s Maurice Smith, and representatives from South Carolina Federal Credit Union and HR Unequivocally.

“One of the Foundation’s strategic goals each year is to create engagement and networking opportunities for credit unions, employees and volunteers who are passionate about social responsibility and our cooperative values,” noted Foundation President Lauren Whaley. “This year we are bringing together leading DEI experts in the credit union industry and the Carolinas to provide all employees with the opportunity to learn at any stage in the DEI journey.”

Building upon last year’s Empathy Workshop hosted in collaboration with the National Credit Union Foundation, participants will learn internal best practices for DEI initiatives, the difference between diversity and inclusion, how to create an inclusive network, how bias and micro aggressions show up in the workplace, and steps to move uncomfortable conversations to allyship.

Attending the virtual DEI Workshop is free with the option during registration to donate in support of the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation and its mission-focused work to empower and inspire credit unions in the Carolinas through collaborative opportunities to enrich our communities.

For more information on the workshop agenda and to register, visit the event page. The Workshop will be recorded, with links provided to all registered attendees following the event.

Other News from the Foundation

Foundation Provides Community Grants to Chapters

The first quarter of 2022 comes to an end with several of our Chapters raising funds for local non-profits. Through the Carolinas Foundation's Community Grant Program, non-profits selected by credit union Chapters can be awarded up to $2,500 in grant funds by the Foundation, matching fundraising efforts. That means that if a Chapter raises or donates $2,500 for a local non-profit, the Foundation will match that amount! These grants are donations to vital community non-profits and furthers the credit union philosophy of “people-helping-people.”

Foundation Community Grants support initiatives including those focused on:

Improving: social and economic conditions for vulnerable communities.
Feeding: solutions for food insecurity.
Healing: opportunities for those in hospitals and outpatient facilities and overcoming mental health challenges.
Teaching: financial and economic principles.

Credit union Chapters and League & Foundation staff will have the opportunity to come together next month at the Chapter Leaders Workshop to network, share best practices and work together to build up the credit union community in the Carolinas! The Foundation's historic Community Grant Program has provided nearly $1 million in grants to local non-profits through the Chapter network since it was started in in 2005.

Recent Community Grant recipients:

Children’s Home Society of NC

$6,868 – Tarheel Chapter

Trellis Supportive Care

$4,000 – Northwest Chapter

Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard

$2,000 – Cape Fear Chapter

Heroes and credit unions shine at the Carolinas Foundation Awards Gala

Relive the 2021 Awards Gala!

✔️ Read a recap of the Foundation’s Awards Gala, a night filled with stories of social responsibility, collaborative community impact, and individual dedication to our industry.

✔️ Watch the ceremony on the League’s Facebook page

✔️ Download the Awards Gala program

✔️ View or download photos from the gala (Enter lwhaley@carolinasfoundation.org to access the album, and use the same email address and pin no. 8649 to download photos). Don’t forget to tag the Foundation on social media – @CarolinasCreditUnionFoundation on Facebook or @CCUFoundation on Twitter.

Notice: Annual Meeting - March 31, 2022 at 9:30am

The Carolinas Credit Union Foundation’s Annual Meeting of the Members & Annual Meeting of the Directors will be held virtually at 9:30 am on Thursday, March 31, 2022. Please email Lauren Whaley at lwhaley@carolinasfoundation.org for meeting details.

Those interested in serving on the Foundation’s Board of Directors may submit a Declaration of Candidacy form for consideration by the Nominating Committee. Forms must be submitted prior to March 18, 2022 for consideration.