OCCU recognized as top Oregon-SW Washington corporate donor
EUGENE, OR (November 9, 2022) — OCCU (Oregon Community Credit Union) has been recognized by the Portland Business Journal as a top philanthropic organization on its 2022 Corporate Philanthropy List. OCCU placed twenty-fourth in the enterprise category alongside organizations like Nike, Fred Meyer and Intel, based on 2021 giving.
OCCU and OCCU Foundation collectively gave $684,000 in 2021 to partner with nonprofits making an impact with academic scholarships, community building, health initiatives and wildfire relief throughout Oregon and Washington.
“The funds that Hope Project received from the OCCU Foundation went right to work. With them, we built sheds and provided tools for the people who had lost their homes in the Holiday Farm Fire to begin to rebuild. Just seeing that small shed on their property was a small ray of hope that they would rebuild, they could make this their home again,” said Ken Brown of Project Hope, one of the organizations supported by OCCU Foundation’s philanthropic activities in 2021.
Philanthropy and community partnerships are just one pillar of OCCU’s commitment to working toward building happier and healthier communities. OCCU also contributed to the well-being and resilience of the communities it serves by saving its members an estimated $1.8 million through reducing or eliminating many of the fees typically charged by financial institutions; and by expanding its service area and actively encouraging employee volunteerism. “Even with continued COVID protocols and severely limited volunteer opportunities, the OCCU team still managed to support our nonprofit partners in 2021. Strong communities are the foundation of our future well-being — and when we invest in each other, everyone benefits,” said Heather Billings, OCCU chief marketing officer.
The Portland Business Journal Corporate Philanthropy Awards program recognizes regional companies who are making a difference in their communities by moving the needle of giving and making visible impact.
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 located in Oregon and Washington. Since its start, 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.
