A shutdown’s a perfect time to call your local news outlets
If your credit union is helping furloughed federal workers, be sure to pick up the phone and tell your story—or answer a call from the media.
Friday was the first day many federal workers missed a paycheck as the federal government shutdown—and the news coverage of it—continued past the three-week mark. Pretty much since day 1 of the furlough of about 800,000 federal employees, this editor’s inbox has been full of press releases about the great ways credit unions are helping them through—from emergency loans to negotiated payment schedules. As a longtime CU industry editor, I love these good news stories inside of the tough news—and mainstream news outlets will love them even more.
Indeed, it’s a great time to pick up the phone and talk with the media. Have you told your story of how you are “people helping people” during this tough time—and others?
Some credit unions have landed national coverage about their efforts to help federal workers with industry trade associations and even, for example, CNN and CNBC. My hat’s off to $149 million Democracy Federal Credit Union, Alexandria, Virginia; $233 million Transportation Federal Credit Union, also in Alexandria; and $757 million Launch Federal Credit Union, Merritt Island, Florida, for stepping up in these two national media opportunities. Telling the credit union story in such a visible forum is positive PR for the industry (at a time when some banks are getting some bad press, to boot).
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