Unitus Community Credit Union announced today it has joined the Worldwide Foundation of Credit Unions’ (WFCU) fundraising efforts in support of Ukrainian credit unions. The Ukrainian Credit Union Displacement Fund will “help mitigate both short- and long-term impacts to Ukraine’s credit union system and those who look to it for support, including both employees and members,” according to a WFCU news release.
Unitus pledged $2,500 to the displacement fund, joining dozens of other credit unions and organizations in support of Ukrainian credit unions. According to the World Council of Credit Unions, there are two credit union associations in Ukraine with a 30-year history of providing both regulatory and development support to build and strengthen credit unions there.
The announcement of the development of the displacement fund came Sunday night at the inaugural Cooperative Voices Event, held on the eve of the Credit Union National Association’s Governmental Affairs Conference. Unitus’ Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, David Fehrer is attending the conference and made the donation on Unitus’ behalf.
“As members of the global cooperative movement, it’s important that we support our colleagues around the world, especially in times of crisis,” explained Fehrer. “We know this fund will have a large impact on credit unions across Ukraine as they navigate this difficult time.”
“I have personally visited credit unions in Lviv, Ukraine, and know they will directly benefit from this displacement fund and the generosity of credit unions around the world,” said Steven Stapp, President and CEO of Unitus Community Credit Union. “We know these donations will make a difference for the credit union system, employees, and members in Ukraine.”
The Worldwide Foundation of Credit Unions is the charitable and engagement arm of the World Council of Credit Unions. Anyone interested in donating to the Ukrainian Credit Union Displacement
Fund can text CUS4UKRAINE to 44321.