RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA (May 8, 2026) |
On April 14, ArrowHeart Foundation, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit of Arrowhead Credit Union, teamed with students at Arroyo Valley High School’s Business & Logistics Academy for its first-ever “Hawks with a Heart” clothing drive for Brigitte’s Closet, ArrowHeart’s community clothing initiative dedicated to providing complete, ready-to-wear outfits to community members in need.
The 345 students in grades 9–12 at Arroyo Valley High School organized, sorted, and prepared clothing donated by the community in support of Brigitte’s Closet. The seven-day donation drive resulted in the collection of 1,681 clothing items for infants, children, and adults, valued at approximately $14,762. This generous donation will help maintain the clothing needs for many in the community.
“It was eye-opening to see the potential value of our donations,” said Jennifer Attah, Manager, ArrowHeart and Community Impact. “The students meticulously tracked all donations and were able to communicate a detailed report on the economic value of the event.”
For five years, Arrowhead Credit Union has partnered with Arroyo Valley High School to educate students on topics such as budgeting, saving, banking, and understanding credit. Additionally, two to three times a year, students tour the Credit Union’s headquarters and learn about career paths with the Credit Union and the ArrowHeart Foundation Suite. In an effort to begin outreach events with the school, in January, members from ArrowHeart spoke to the classes and discussed the logistics and impact of clothing drive events.
By teaming with ArrowHeart, this inaugural event gave students firsthand experience in understanding how community outreach efforts help improve their communities. Projects like this also highlight the impact student-led leadership has on communities and give students a chance to engage and collaborate with others who share their desire to help their community.
Arroyo Valley High School’s Business & Logistics Academy is for students in grades 9–12. The Academy teaches students the basics of business and finance for real-world applications. Students in the program gain hands-on experience in business development and career readiness. The four-year program builds on itself each year, giving students the tools they need to be financially stable and guidelines to build their own business.
“Our program is about providing real opportunities for our students to engage in workforce development and understanding their careers and their paths,” said Andrew Lomax, teacher and mentor at Arroyo Valley High School. “Being able to participate in activities and build out from our curriculum, we’re able to engage them with something that’s meaningful, something that’s actually going to impact our community.”
100% of the students in the program participated in the event. For many, the experience reshaped the way they look at charitable work and giving back to their community.
“This project taught me that large-scale community goals are only possible through clear communication and shared responsibility,” said 10th grader, Jasmine. “I’ll definitely carry that collaborative mindset into my career whenever I’m working in a team.”
11th grader Brian said, “This experience has significantly shifted my perspective on charitable work from seeing it as a simple act of charity to recognizing it as a tool for empowerment. It highlighted that giving back isn’t just about providing for someone’s basic needs: it’s about restoring a sense of hope and dignity.”
Melissa, a 12th grader, summed it up saying, “Helping others doesn’t just change them; it changes you too in how you see things.”
Since its inception, ArrowHeart has followed its mission to give back to the communities served by Arrowhead Credit Union.
Throughout the year, the Foundation partners with organizations to give back to the local communities they both serve through volunteerism, food and clothing donations, the distribution of essentials to the unhoused, and academic scholarship awards. In total, the Foundation hosts more than 100 events annually and fills countless donation requests from community partners.
“Working with organizations in our community is one of the most gratifying aspects of ArrowHeart,” said Stefanie Villalobos, VP, Philanthropy & Community Impact and Executive Director of the ArrowHeart Foundation. “I was really impressed with the outcome. Not only did the students demonstrate leadership and community engagement, but they also proved how meaningful change begins with collaboration. The students at Arroyo Valley High are some of the kindest, most dedicated people who jumped into this clothing drive with such energy and enthusiasm. They made our first event together incredibly successful, and we look forward to many more opportunities to partner together in the future.”
For more information about ArrowHeart Foundation, please visit our website at: arrowheadcu.org/arrowheart.