Credit Union Movement Rallies to Support Katrina Victims (9/7/2005)In the wake of the largest natural disaster in US history, North Carolina credit unions are banding together to provide money and supplies to those affected. On Tuesday, September 6th, the NC Credit Union League board voted to contribute $5,000 to the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation to support its Katrina relief efforts.
Listed below are the credit unions we are aware of that are embracing the "people helping people" philosophy of credit unions and reaching out to help their neighbors in the Gulf Coast. Please e-mail us the efforts your credit union is undertaking and we'll add it to this listing.
For the latest credit union headlines on Katrina, click here to go to CUNA's Katrina Resource page. You may also check out the Credit Union Times and the Credit Union Journal for continuing coverage.
Statewide efforts
Bessemer City
Charlotte Area
Eastern North Carolina
Fayetteville
Goldsboro
Hickory
Piedmont Triad
Western North Carolina / Asheville
Carolinas Credit Union Foundation
The National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) is activating the National Disaster Relief Fund to assist credit unions affected by Hurricane Katrina, and the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation (CCUF) will accept and assimilate contributions right away. Click here for more details.
Statewide Efforts
Carolina Postal Credit Union (CPCU)
CPCU is collecting money from members and employees to benefit the American Red Cross at each of its branch locations in Charlotte and the Triad. The credit union is also a drop-off point for Red Cross donations for listeners of the Ace and TJ Show, which is a syndicated morning radio program.
Coastal Federal Credit Union
Coastal is making a $5,000 donation to the NCUF Disaster Relief Fund. Coastal is also starting a disaster relief drive at all its branches. The credit union is collecting non-perishable food items, paper products and cleaning supplies. Coastal will deliver these items to local agencies for transportation to the disaster area. Coastal has also set aside a large portion of its break room to receive items from employees.
Coastal has also announced it is holding a "Wear Your Jeans to Work" promotion on Friday, September 9th in order to raise money.
Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU)
LGFCU is raising money for the CCUF and NCUF Disaster Relief Funds. Additionally, the credit union is helping members who have been directly impacted by the storm. LGFCU is extending loan payments and providing a range of other services to help members cope. Click here for more information.
Premier Federal Credit Union
Premier is responding to the Katrina disaster in a variety of ways. The credit union is placing collection jars in the lobby of all of its branches to collect money for the CCUF fund.
Premier has also ordered 5,000 silicone wristbands to be sold at all branches. Premier ordered two styles of wristbands, including a white wristband with the message “Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief” and a burgundy band with the message “People Helping People Premier FCU”. The wristbands are $1 each and all proceeds benefit the CCUF relief fund. In addition to the wristband proceeds from sales, the salesman is donating 10% of his sales to a hurricane relief fund. Additionally, the company making the wristbands is going to match his donation!
Premier is also partnering with Hearts with Hands, Inc. This organization, based in Asheville, is soliciting donations of supplies from the Greensboro area to be collected at the Greensboro drop-off site: Shining Light Baptist Church, 4530 West Wendover Ave., Greensboro, NC 27409. Premier will be collecting items at its main office, located at 1400 Yanceyville Street in Greensboro. Premier will transport collected items to the Hearts with Hands drop-off location. The Hearts with Hands website lists other drop-off locations throughout the state of NC.
Premier is also providing check cashing services to non-members being served by the VA Hospital in Salisbury. The veterans being served by the hospital were evacuated from the Gulf Coast to a temporary shelter in the Charlotte Coliseum. The VA Hospital is issuing replacement checks to the people who have been displaced by the storm. The evacuees are transported from Charlotte to Salisbury once each week to receive a variety of services, including the check cashing service at Premier's branch at the hospital.
State Employees' Credit Union (SECU)
All 187 SECU branches will be receiving monetary donations to provide hurricane relief. SECU will direct these funds to the CCUF and NCUF disaster relief funds.
Bessemer City
Lithium Federal Credit Union
Lithium Federal Credit Union is collecting funds to be donated to the American Red Cross.
Charlotte Area
Carolina Cooperative Credit Union (CCCU)
CCCU is supporting foundation disaster relief efforts. The credit union is collecting money from members and staff at each of its Charlotte-area branches. CCCU is also receiving donations via its web site. All proceeds will benefit the CCUF Disaster Relief Fund.
Charlotte Fire Department Credit Union
Charlotte Fire is raising money to contribute to the American Red Cross. Thus far, staff and members have contributed more than $1,100 to the agency's Hurricane Relief Fund.
Charlotte Metro Credit Union (CMCU)
CMCU announced it is donating $10,000 to the CCUF fund. Charlotte Metro is also accepting cash donations from its members to provide help and support. Several CMCU employees have changed their payroll deduction from Victory Junction to the American Red Cross as well.
Southern Select Community Credit Union
Southern Select is accepting cash donations at both its Kannapolis and Eden locations. The credit union will donate all cash collected to the American Red Cross.
Eastern North Carolina
First Flight Federal Credit Union
First Flight is accepting cash donations from staff, members and the community at each of its seven branches. All money collected will benefit the Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund.
Riegelwood Federal Credit Union (RFCU)
RFCU is doing a variety of things to help. Riegelwood is offering to adopt a credit union family that has been rendered homeless by Katrina. The credit union will offer temporary employment to the credit union person who is not able to work at their home credit union. RFCU is also exploring adopting a Gulf Coast credit union if no-one is found who wishes to relocate to southeast North Carolina.
The credit union is currently collecting non-perishable food, personal and household items to benefit people affected by the storm.
Fayetteville
Fayetteville Observer Credit Union
The Fayetteville Observer Credit Union is collecting money from its sponsor company, The Fayetteville Observer, through September 9th. The credit union will divide the money raised between two disaster-relief agencies.
Fort Bragg Federal Credit Union
Fort Bragg Federal Credit Union's three branches will be accepting donations of bottled water and non-perishable food items through September 9th. The credit union has also set up a relief fund for cash donations and will be holding bake sales. All cash proceeds will be donated to The Salvation Army and Red Cross.
Purolator Employees' Federal Credit Union
Purolator is accepting gifts of cash and non-perishable items to help victims of the storm. The donations will be sent to the Salvation Army. The credit union is thanking the people who give by hanging "people helping people" cards in the credit union with each donor's name written on it.
Goldsboro
NC Community Federal Credit Union
NC Community Federal Credit Union is raising money for both the American Red Cross and CCUF relief fund. The credit union, which serves many military members, is also raffling off three credit union duffel bags filled with a variety of gifts. The credit union is planning other fundraisers to help with the relief effort as well.
Hickory Area
Corning Cable Systems Credit Union
Corning is collecting monetary donations to benefit the American Red Cross. Corning will donate all collected monies to the Red Cross every three weeks. The credit union also plans to make a monetary donation to the relief effort.
Piedmont Triad (Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem)
Allegacy Federal Credit Union
Allegacy Federal Credit Union is partnering with one of the major corporations in Winston-Salem to assist with a fundraiser for the American Red Cross, in support of Hurricane Katrina relief. Reynolds American Inc. is working with Allegacy as the collection point for donations from their employees and from Allegacy staff.
All Allegacy locations in North Carolina will accept cash and checks, as well as transfers from Allegacy accounts.
Allegacy Federal Credit Union is also partnering with the Winston-Salem-based Second Harvest Food Bank to collect items for Hurricane Katrina victims and relief workers. Collection boxes have been placed in Allegacy’s corporate headquarters at 1691 Westbrook Plaza Drive in Winston-Salem, and everyone is welcome to donate.
Second Harvest indicates that the following items are especially needed:
• Non-perishable, single serving food items such as items in pop top containers, granola bars, protein bars, breakfast bars, etc. (Please, no glass containers)
• Drinking water in plastic bottles
• Toiletries and personal hygiene items
• Cleaning supplies
• Paper goods
• Diapers, wipes and baby formula
• Flashlights and batteries
Choice Community Credit Union
Choice is currently collecting money from members and employees to benefit the American Red Cross. The credit union is also printing a banner to place outside its Battleground Avenue location in Greensboro. This banner will invite everyone to drop off a donation at the credit union to benefit the American Red Cross.
Truliant Federal Credit Union
Truliant Federal Credit Union generously donated a 1999 Ford Windstar company van to a single mother whose family has relocated to Greensboro after Hurricane Katrina. Click here to read the story.
Western North Carolina / Asheville
Carolina Mountains Credit Union & Ecusta Credit Union
Both Carolina Mountains Credit Union and Ecusta Credit Union are collecting money to sponsor the purchase of a pallet of food through Anchor Baptist Missions International. This organization has already delivered truck loads of bottled water and is working to take food as soon as the sponsorship supply is met.
Mountain Credit Union
Mountain is accepting cash donations at each of its branches in the disaster relief effort. The money collected will benefit the Salvation Army Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund.
Oteen VA Federal Credit Union
Oteen is collecting money from staff and members in order to support the efforts of CCUF.
