Press
Great Lakes Credit Union Celebrates A Year of Service
Great Lakes Credit Union (GLCU) wrapped up 2011 having served its local communities in a big way. GLCU staff, Board members, Senior Management, vendors and members joined together sponsoring, participating in and volunteering at community events throughout the year.
GLCU continued to maintain its strong commitment to youth financial literacy. During 2011, GLCU conducted or participated in 22 youth financial education events impacting over 1,500 local students through programs like Biz Kid$, Junior Achievement and its showcase budget simulation program for high school students “Mad City Money”.
GLCU modeled how being eco-friendly is good for the environment, good for the community and good business by coordinating an Earth Day event that was hosted at Gurnee Mills where mall retailers and local “green” businesses participated.
The Credit Union industry motto of People Helping People galvanized GLCU staff around the Credit Union’s second annual “Make a Difference Day” celebration where their 150 employees were each given $10 to distribute as part of a series of “random acts of kindness” throughout the local community.
“Stuff the Bus” was a new event at GLCU for 2011 that provided local students in need with new school supplies. Every Friday during the month of August, a school bus was on-site at a designated GLCU branch for collecting donations from members and the public. Four recipient schools were overwhelmed to receive the much needed donations for their students.
For the 3rd year in a row, GLCU conducted holiday food drives at all 7 of their Lake County branches along with a warm clothing drive that culminated with the Credit Union’s sponsoring and serving of the “Giving Dinner” – a free holiday buffet for approximately 300 low-income and homeless individuals who were encouraged to attend by local missions and shelters.
Throughout 2011, GLCU partnered with numerous community organizations either providing volunteers or as an event sponsor. Those organizations included MainStreet Libertyville, the Lake County Forest Preserve District, the Village of Antioch, the Round Lake Park District, the Waukegan Park District, and the Zion Park District.