CU Forward Day 2022 brings together 66 credit unions and partners to give back statewide
ST. PAUL, MN (October 25, 2022) — CU Forward Day 2022 had a record participation with 66 credit unions and partnering organizations with over 3,000 employees volunteering 13,000 hours across the state. Participating credit unions and partners donated and spent $300,000 to spread kindness as part of the one-day initiative.
CU Forward Day – held annually on the second Monday in October, is a Minnesota state-wide initiative of credit unions employees, members and partners coming together to do one simple thing – spread kindness.
Minnesota Credit Unions are not-for-profit financial cooperatives and are locally owned and operated for the benefit of the members they serve. Guided by the “people helping people” philosophy, credit unions put members and communities first. This annual event spans every part of the state uniting credit unions and their communities in acts of service and kindness
“CU Forward Day exemplifies the cooperative principles with volunteers across Minnesota spending one day to give back to their communities in big and small ways,” said Mark Cummins, President and CEO of the Minnesota Credit Union Network, the state’s trade association for credit unions.
Examples of service projects for the day included:
- Volunteering and fundraising for local nonprofits like Second Harvest Heartland, Hands On Twin Cities, Open Arms Minnesota, Sanneh Foundation, Keystone Community Services and many more.
- Projects to support people experiencing homelessness and address food insecurity in locations across Minnesota.
- Providing lunch to first responders.
- Park and yard cleanup projects.
- Many simply performing random acts of kindness in their communities like buying coffee for strangers, grocery shopping or handing out gas cards.
In 2013, Saint Paul-based credit union, Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union, hosted their first organization-wide Plus It Forward Day. A play on “pay it forward”, the Plus It Forward concept grew out of an employee-driven idea of what it meant to be a part of the community, to give back and how credit unions could randomly spread kindness.
In a response to the growing cooperative nature of the event, the Minnesota Credit Union Network assumed the coordination of credit union participation, tracking and media efforts going forward under the umbrella name CU Forward Day starting in 2017.
Since the inception of CU Forward Day, the concept has continued to evolve with kindness days growing in states across the country. In 2019, the Illinois Credit Union League began CU Kind with credit unions in their state. Michigan Credit Union League followed suit and launched CU Kind this year. In total, more than 200 credit unions participated in giving back on Monday, October 10 this year.
About Minnesota Credit Union Network
The Minnesota Credit Union Network is the trade association for credit unions and works to ensure a thriving credit union system in Minnesota through powerful advocacy, expertise, resources, opportunity, and influence on behalf of our member credit unions and their more than 2 million members.
With over $40.7 billion in assets, Minnesota credit unions are local, trusted financial cooperatives that serve 2.2. million members at 405 branch locations, employing 5,868 people around the state. As not-for-profit institutions, credit unions give back to the communities they serve. For more information, visit mncun.org.
