Together, We Strengthen
The Heart of Our Movement
Support Your Foundation on #GivingTuesday
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We are grateful for the many partners, credit unions and individual donors who make the Foundation’s work possible. In the last 18 months, more than $3.4 million has been disbursed back into the Carolinas through scholarships, community support, hardship assistance, disaster relief and grants to our small credit unions.
We want to ensure the Foundation remains a trusted philanthropic partner for decades to come. So, as we enter this season of reflection and generosity, we are working to raise $75,000 before year-end to support our operational capacity and community impact initiatives.
If you believe in the promise of people helping people, we invite you to deepen your support with a tax-deductible donation. Every dollar you invest helps the Foundation remain a force for good, advancing cooperation, inspiring social responsibility, strengthening financial well-being, and building communities where everyone can thrive.
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Your Foundation's Strategic Plan Reveal
Charting the Next Chapter of Cooperative Impact
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The Carolinas Credit Union Foundation has launched a refreshed Strategic Plan shaped by credit union leaders across both states. Our mission remains steadfast, to empower and inspire credit unions through collaboration and philanthropic leadership, with a renewed focus on communication and storytelling to amplify our collective impact.
The plan centers on four strategic pillars that will guide our work ahead:

1. Financial Sustainability & Growth – Strengthening your foundation through diversified revenue and modernized systems.
2. Community Impact & Social Responsibility – Elevating cooperative values and celebrating programs that uplift communities.
3. Fund Management Services – Expanding trusted, transparent services that help credit unions achieve their philanthropic goals.
4. Scholarships, Small CU Support & Disaster Relief – Growing critical programs that provide opportunity, stability, and timely support.
Together, these pillars chart a focused, mission-driven path forward, ensuring we continue building a resilient, people-first credit union movement across the Carolinas.
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2025 Annual Awards Gala
Recognizing Remarkable Impact
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Our Annual Awards Gala returns on February 11, 2026 for an evening that celebrates leadership, service, and the enduring spirit of People Helping People. Your ticket includes a reception at 5:00 p.m. and dinner at 6:00 p.m. Cocktail attire is encouraged. A professional photographer will begin award-winner photos at 4:30 p.m.
We are thrilled to welcome back our awe-inspiring emcee, Creighton Blackwell, Foundation Board member and Coastal Credit Union’s Chief Community & Public Affairs Officer.
| | Honoring our Hero Award Recipients! | | |
The Carolinas Credit Union Foundation proudly celebrates this year’s Hero Award honorees, leaders and organizations whose vision, compassion, and collaboration embody the true spirit of People Helping People.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Sandy Milton - honored for more than four decades of exceptional leadership, mentorship, and service to the credit union movement.
Advancing Equity Award: Southern Regional Chapter (SRC) of AACUC, recognized for championing diversity, equity, and inclusion across the credit union industry.
Partners in Philanthropy:
James V. & Elizabeth N. Hamilton Foundation and Summit Credit Union - empowering small credit unions through professional development grants.
Philanthropy Summit - strengthening nonprofits through collaboration, led by Coastal CU Foundation, Civic Foundation, and SECU Foundation.
Together, these honorees exemplify the heart of our cooperative mission, building stronger credit unions and stronger communities across the Carolinas.
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BRAVO to our
Credit Union Award Recipients!
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We are thrilled to celebrate 30 outstanding recipients of the 2025 Credit Union Awards! These honors recognize exceptional leadership, innovation, and unwavering dedication to the cooperative spirit of People Helping People. Since 1987, these awards have highlighted credit unions whose work in community service, financial education, and credit union philosophy uplifts lives and strengthens communities across the Carolinas.
This year’s distinguished honorees include 26 recipients of the Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Award, Louise Herring Philosophy in Action Award, and Alphonse Desjardins Youth and Adult Financial Education Awards, each a shining example of service in action. From empowering youth through financial education to extending support to local families and small businesses, these credit unions embody the heart of our movement. This years honorees include: Acclaim FCU, Carolina Foothills CU, Central Chapter of the Carolinas CU League, Coastal CU, Family Trust FCU, Greenville FCU, Latino Community CU, Piedmont Advantage CU, REV FCU, Skyla CU, SPC CU, Spero Financial FCU, SRP FCU, Summit CU, Telco Community CU and Truliant FCU.
New this year, the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation is proud to introduce the Disaster Response Champions Award, recognizing credit unions that embody the cooperative spirit at its highest level, responding swiftly and selflessly to provide critical relief and hope in times of crisis.
This year’s four inaugural honorees, Spero Financial FCU, State Employees’ CU, SRP FCU, and Truliant FCU, demonstrated extraordinary leadership and heart in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, offering unwavering support to members, employees, and communities across the Carolinas. When disaster strikes, the true strength of the credit union movement shines through compassion, cooperation, and community. Their efforts remind us that People Helping People is more than a philosophy, it’s a promise that endures, even in the most challenging moments.
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Gala Ticketing &
Sponsorship Opportunities
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Registration is open alongside the Carolinas Credit Union League’s LAUNCH conference.
- Individual tickets: $175
- Sponsorships: Available and appreciated!! The Gala is our premier fundraising event, honoring credit unions and hero professionals whose work strengthens financial well-being across the Carolinas.
This event sells out every year! Secure your spot for an evening of recognition, inspiration, and community.
Questions or wish to be invoiced for a sponsorship? Contact Lauren Whaley at lwhaley@carolinasfoundation.org.
If you are an industry partner interested in sponsorships, please click here.
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Join Us for the CUDE Holiday Social!
Friday, December 18th at 11:30am
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The Carolinas CUDE Network is kicking off the season with a festive Holiday Social, and all credit union professionals are invited! This is your chance to connect, celebrate, and close out the year in true cooperative spirit.
Come dressed in your favorite holiday sweater, the tackier, the better! Prizes will be awarded, laughter is guaranteed, and both in-person and virtual ticket options make it easy for everyone to join the fun.
Friday, December 18, 2025 at Civic Conference Center, Raleigh, NC
We invite you to visit the registration page for full event details and to secure your spot. Please share this with your colleagues across the movement, let’s celebrate together, CUDE-style!
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Recent News from the Foundation
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Upcoming Events & Deadlines
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SAVE THE DATE! Carolinas Cup - October 4-6, 2026
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Contact the Foundation:
Lauren Whaley, President | 919-600-8219 | E-mail |
Jeff Hardin, Director of Collaborative Programs | 336-601-1764 | E-mail |
Aisha Everett, Director of Strategy & Communication | 678-849-9677 | E-mail |
Melody Fisher, Program Coordinator | E-mail |
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The Carolinas Credit Union Foundation was incorporated in 1993 as a charitable organization dedicated to the embodiment of the “people helping people” philosophy of credit unions. Its mission is to empower and inspire credit unions through collaboration and philanthropic leadership. The Foundation serves as a founding partner to Victory Junction, a year-round camping facility, located in Randleman, NC, for children with chronic medical conditions and serious illnesses. Over the last 21 years, more than $5 million has been raised by credit unions in the Carolinas to support its camp and outreach programs. The Foundation also serves as a partner in philanthropy with credit unions, assisting charitable giving through donor-advised funds, managing scholarship programs, supporting small credit unions with professional development grants, and aiding disaster relief for the local, national, and global credit union communities.
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