OCCU employees award $20,000 to local charities and support families for the holidays
EUGENE, OR (December 20, 2022) — OCCU team members and OCCU Foundation, the credit union’s philanthropic arm, are partnering to support their community this holiday season.
OCCU staff who participate in the employee giving program selected Arc of Lane County, Community Outreach through Radical Empowerment (CORE), Children’s Miracle Network via Credit Unions for Kids (CU4Kids) and Volunteers in Medicine to receive $5,000 each. OCCU Foundation sponsors the program, which allows OCCU team members to donate automatically via payroll deduction each pay cycle. Participating team members were surveyed and selected these nonprofits from a diverse array of organizations OCCU Foundation supports. Approximately one third of OCCU’s nearly 600 team members participate in payroll giving.
In addition, OCCU provided funds for branches, teams and departments to “adopt” 21 area families for the holiday season. This annual opportunity sees OCCU teams work with local housing and community nonprofits to provide holiday gifts and food to families in need. Teams received family wish lists and coordinated among themselves to purchase and deliver the gifts. A total of 87 individuals are receiving gifts from OCCU staff this holiday season.
Many OCCU teams also have provided toys, resources and supplies to the Springfield, Oregon-based Ronald McDonald House Charities’ Heartfelt House and Eugene’s PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center’s pediatric wing. Some have undertaken independent fundraising, contributing out of their own pockets in addition to using OCCU budgets. And others have shared their time — such as OCCU chief officers who delivered a meal for Heartfelt House guest families and OCCU branch managers who assembled craft kit bags for pediatric patients at Sacred Heart Medical Center.
The 2022 holiday season has seen the highest level of departmental participation to date:39 teams and departments are expected to give a total of more than $8,000 and will clock over 150 corporate-sponsored volunteer hours.
“I am inspired by the OCCU team’s generosity and commitment to community,” said Ron Neumann, OCCU president & CEO and OCCU Foundation Board Chair. “Through payroll contributions to the OCCU Foundation and our employees’ passion to support those in need, it’s truly heartwarming that the team is dedicated to helping our community thrive.”
OCCU’s West 11th branch team share gifts they’re delivering to a local family
About OCCU
OCCU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative with more than $3.4 billion in assets. The credit union was founded in Eugene, OR, in 1956, and has an expanding network of branches and web tools to provide its more than 260,000 member-owners with a full suite of financial services. Membership is open to anyone living or working in 28 Oregon counties or anywhere in Washington. Learn more at MyOCCU.org.
About OCCU Foundation
OCCU Foundation is the philanthropic arm of OCCU, a not-for-profit financial cooperative serving Oregon and Washington. OCCU Foundation has granted more than $2.5 million to help build happier and healthier communities by giving generously to projects that advance learning, improve well-being and support communities. The foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation funded by OCCU, businesses, families and individuals. OCCU Foundation was founded in 2018 to further extend the credit union’s vision to Enrich Lives. Learn more at MyOCCU.org/Foundation.
