Press
Affinity Plus Branch in Cambridge Shares Stories from Operation Kindness
More than 200 people used $10 to perform various random acts of kindness for others
ST. PAUL, MN (March 6, 2013) – On Thursday, Feb. 28, the Affinity Plus branch in Cambridge hosted its first ever Operation Kindness, an event in which 200 members of the public would be given $10 to perform a random act of kindness for other people in their community. A total of 210 individuals participated in the event, but the number of lives impacted by the random acts of kindness they performed is immeasurable.
Participants in Operation Kindness were encouraged to share their random acts of kindness with employees at the Cambridge branch, or online on Affinity Plus’s Facebook page. The random acts of kindness ranged in variety and included donating the money to a charity or nonprofit, helping people pay for their gas or groceries, giving flowers to elderly community members, or bringing pastry items and other sweet treats to public servants who work in law enforcement or ambulance services.
“One of the moments that stood out to me was when a woman brought her kids in to make deposits into their accounts and they were so excited to be given the opportunity to spend time doing things for other people. Later that day, we received an email from her that they had helped pay for another customer’s purchase at Target, bought flowers for someone in the hospital, made a goodie basket for their mail carrier, and taped quarters to vending machines around town,” states LeAnne Larson, Cambridge Branch Manager.
Making a difference in the lives of people is a common goal around Affinity Plus. Employees are encouraged and empowered to do just that, each and every day. So while Affinity Plus helps members achieve their financial goals, they also bring a human banking aspect into the equation by focusing on the people they serve, and those around the communities. As a mission driven, not-for-profit financial cooperative, Affinity Plus puts people first before making a profit.
“We were blown away by the kindness our members and people in the Cambridge community demonstrated by their participation in Operation Kindness,” says Larson. “It’s truly inspiring and we hope this was just a spark to spreading kindness in our community.”
Many people also had the opportunity to see Larson on the roof of the Cambridge branch with a sign that read, “Operation Kindness! Help me off the roof!” Larson endured 30 degree temperatures and wind gusts up to 17 miles per hour, until 101 people participated in Operation Kindness. At 1:01 p.m., the 101st participant walked into the branch allowing her to get down.
About Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union
Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit cooperative that puts people first above profits. We are committed to empowering consumers – for knowledge, for understanding and to know there are alternatives that focus on the success of people, not the bottom line. Members of Affinity Plus receive maximum value through competitive rates, minimal fees, and unique, member –centric products and programs. Affinity Plus is the largest credit union in Minnesota with state-based assets and has 26 branches located throughout the state. With more than $1.6 billion in assets, Affinity Plus is based in St. Paul and is owned by more than 160,000 members. Through a broad range of eligibility criteria, almost anyone can become a member of Affinity Plus. Additional information is available at www.affinityplus.org or by calling 800-322-7228