Whether it's giving back, awarding scholarships, creating community, providing innovative solutions, or fostering financial literacy (and so much more), here's how Wisconsin's credit unions supported their members and communities in August.
Giving Back
Classroom Support Fund to help MPS teachers buy school supplies this school year
Just like our kids, Milwaukee teachers are getting ready to head back to the classroom. For many, that means dipping into their own funds to buy classroom supplies, something the Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation says 90% of teachers do nationwide. This year, the foundation launched the Classroom Support Fund to help teachers in the district with those costs. (Educators Credit Union, 8/21)
Market Animal Sale has added meaning
Normally there is not a lot of fanfare surrounding the 118th animal sold as part of the annual Market Animal Sale at the Central Wisconsin State Fair in Marshfield. This year there was. The money raised for this particular animal – donated anonymously by a family already showing other animals – will go to the Dennis Bangart family to help offset medical, travel and other expenses incurred, as Dennis battles Leukemia, and is undergoing his next stage of treatments through Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. (Simplicity Credit Union, 8/24)
Creating Community
2023 Downtown Eau Claire Fall Festival Slated for Sept. 16
Even though some of us aren’t ready to admit it, fall is almost upon us. What better way to celebrate the incoming season than with one of Eau Claire’s favorite annual events, the Downtown Eau Claire Fall Festival?! Slated for Saturday, Sept. 16, from 11am-5pm, South Barstow Street will be transformed into a pedestrian mall for the event. There will be a ton of activities for locals to enjoy including musical performances, vendor booths, and family-friendly activities. This year, The Lismore Hotel (333 Gibson St., Eau Claire) will be running a new beer garden near the main stage. (Royal Credit Union, 8/28)
Investing in Communities
WESTconsin to break ground Sept. 7 for Rice Lake office
WESTconsin Credit Union will break ground on its new Rice Lake office at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7. The groundbreaking ceremony will include company representatives, local legislators and area business leaders. The new location will be built at 21 E. Burton St., off Highway SS. The full-service office will feature modern technology, equipment and staff. Members can visit for help with everyday transactions, as well as meet with dedicated mortgage loan originators, business loan officers, and advisors from the investment team. (WESTconsin Credit Union, 8/31)
Providing Innovative Solutions
Operation Fresh Start to launch new job training program
Operation Fresh Start will launch a new program next month designed to help young adults make a career in the service industry. The CareerPoint program, which will being on Sept. 25, will se young adults ages 18-24 train for eight weeks on topics including communication and workplace etiquette then go through full-time job training. Those in the program will be given a stipend to transition into a full-time career after completing job training. The first group of people in the CareerPoint program will train to be tellers in partnership with UW Credit Union. The program was developed with help from an advisory board consisting of staff from Epic Systems, American Family Insurance and UW Credit Union. (UW Credit Union, 8/28)
Fostering Excellence
Royal Credit Union Awarded on the Forbes America’s Best Small Employers 2023 List
Royal Credit Union has been named on the Forbes list of America’s Best Small Employers 2023. This prestigious award is presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. America’s Best Small Employers ranking was based on the analysis of over 7 million data points with over 11,000 companies with more than 200 employees, but fewer than 1000. (Royal Credit Union, 8/2)
Royal Credit Union Names New Young Professional Credit Union Activists
Royal Credit Union (Royal) has named Jack Livingston and Morgan Lecheler as the new Royal Credit Union Young Professional Credit Union Activists (YP CU Activists.) Royal launched the YP CU Activist program in 2019 as a way to strengthen the credit union movement and amplify the voice of young professionals. (Royal Credit Union, 8/20)
Best Credit Unions to Work For, ranked 36-70
The 70 honorees for this year's Best Credit Unions to Work For demonstrated the importance of leadership, communication and career development. The ranking is determined through two surveys in conjunction with the Best Companies Group. The first is a survey completed by workers at each applicant and measures employee satisfaction. It covers eight areas, such as pay and benefits, corporate culture and communication and work environment. (Prospera Credit Union, PCM Credit Union, Simplicity Credit Union, 8/27)
Best Credit Unions to Work For, ranked 1-35
Staffing issues remained a chief concern for organizations of all sizes, as the "great resignation" stretches into its second year. But the honorees on this year's list of Best Credit Unions to Work For are developing programs that meet the needs of current employees and entice new generations of talent to join. Seventy credit unions were honored this year, spanning across the U.S. and ranging in size from as small as 22 employees at PAHO/WHO Federal Credit Union in Washington, D.C., to as large as 3,258 team members at America First Credit Union in Riverdale, Utah.
(UnitedOne Credit Union, 8/27)
Supporting Financial Literacy
Compassionate financial education
After helping a formerly incarcerated individual raise his credit score, Marine Credit Union’s Zach Hancock “wanted to find a way to help.” He joins this episode of the CUNA News Podcast to share how he made it happen by teaching a financial empowerment course at the La Crosse County Jail in Wisconsin.
(Marine Credit Union, 8/25)