ALBANY, NY (May 22, 2014) -- Several New York credit unions and chapters received prestigious state-level Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Awards during the Credit Union Association of New York’s recent State Governmental Affairs Conference. The awards recognize credit unions that strengthen local institutions and materially improve the lives of non-members through community outreach programs.
The following first-place winners will advance to the national competition overseen by the Credit Union National Association this fall:
Clarence Community & Schools Federal Credit Union (Clarence) received the first-place award in the asset category of $5 million to $20 million. In 2013, the credit union participated in a fundraiser for the Hunter’s Hope Foundation, a locally based organization dedicated to raising awareness about Leukodystrophy diseases. Funds were raised by “selling” paper heart icons to members and soliciting gift baskets from local businesses that were raffled off during the Hunter’s Hope Foundation’s annual Every Step walk.
Western New York Federal Credit Union (West Seneca) received the first place award in the asset category of $20 million to $50 million. Last summer, Western New York FCU participated in the West Seneca Relay for Life to benefit the American Cancer Society. The credit union hosted numerous fundraisers in support of the event, including: candy sales, bake sales, car washes, raffles, a bowl-a-thon and its fourth annual “Beer Blast” event.
CORE Federal Credit Union (Syracuse) received the first place award in the asset category of $50 million to $100 million. Through a special “Cash for a Cause” initiative, CORE FCU distributed $20 to the first 100 people who visited the credit union’s Morrisville office. Each recipient had to agree to donate the cash to a worthy charity and record a one-minute video segment explaining where they planned to donate the money. The top segments were then uploaded to CORE FCU’s Facebook page and voted on by Facebook fans. CORE FCU donated an additional $500 to the charity featured in the video with the most “likes.”
Hudson River Community Credit Union (Corinth) received the first place award in the asset category of $100 million to $200 million. During an 11-month Community Heroes Campaign, Hudson River Community CU chose 11 different underfunded nonprofits in the Capital Region to support. Each month, the credit union donated $5 to one of the nonprofits for every new account opened or new service added, for a maximum donation of $250.
Sidney Federal Credit Union (Sidney) received the first place award in the asset category of $200 million to $500 million. For the 25th consecutive year, the credit union hosted the annual Hometown Day parade in Sidney, N.Y. The event, which attracted nearly 4,000 spectators, helped drive home the credit union’s commitment to the local community and raise awareness about the credit union movement.
AmeriCU Credit Union (Rome) received the first place award in the asset category of more than $500 million. Last June, AmeriCU Credit Union sponsored the MountainFest country music concert for the Army’s 10th Mountain Division stationed in Fort Drum, N.Y. The concert, which would not have been possible without the credit union’s lead sponsorship and coordination, attracted nearly 20,000 attendees—many of them service members.
The Utica-Rome Chapter received the first place award in the category for association/league chapters. Through chapter-level cooperation, credit unions in the Utica-Rome Chapter raised more than $21,200 for a new infant incubator at Faxton-St. Luke's Healthcare in Utica. The funds were raised in a variety of ways: Some credit unions sold candy and Children’s Miracle Network Hospital balloons, while others sold bookmarks featuring pictures created by children receiving treatment at the hospitals. The individual donations from credit union staff and members during Miracle Jeans Day also made up a large portion of the contributions.
Second-place winners include: Oswego County FCU (in the asset category of $50 million to $100 million), for its Movies in the Park initiative; Bethpage FCU (in the asset category of more than $500 million), for its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program; and the Erie-Niagara Chapter, for hosting an annual holiday party to benefit St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy.
The Credit Union Association of New York has served as the trade association for the state’s credit unions for 96 years. New York credit unions have assets of more than $65 billion and serve 4.9 million members. To learn more about CUANY, visit www.cuany.org. To find a credit union or learn more about the credit union movement, visit www.asmarterchoice.org.