Credit unions turn ‘people helping people’ into action across the country
When more than 1,200 coats arrived at Vermont Federal Credit Union branches this winter, every one of them was professionally dry-cleaned before reaching the hands of a neighbor in need. The credit union’s third annual Great Vermont Coat Drive, a partnership with WCAX-TV and local business Gadue’s Dry Cleaning, shattered its own record and delivered warm, ready-to-wear garments to nonprofit organizations across the state.
“We started this coat drive because there’s a real, significant need for warm coats in Vermont winters,” said Jean Giard, president and CEO of Vermont Federal Credit Union. “It’s not just a coat. It’s caring for individuals who are unable to buy one, and for those struggling to put food on the table.”
That combination of practical generosity and personal investment is playing out at credit unions from coast to coast, illustrating why the “credit union difference” is more than a slogan.
Giving that goes beyond the balance sheet
At Scott Credit Union in Edwardsville, Illinois, employees have completed 257 Acts of Kindness over the past three years, from stocking food pantries to delivering meals to families undergoing cancer treatment. The effort, which began as a celebration of the credit union’s 80th anniversary, has evolved into a permanent fixture of its culture. The Scott Credit Union Community Foundation has also awarded more than $507,000 in With You Grants to local schools and educators since 2020, and the credit union has returned more than $17.3 million to members through bonus dividends and loan interest rebates over the past 19 years.
Meanwhile, Hello Credit Union employees in Florida’s Panama City and Tallahassee communities spent Presidents Day sorting donated clothing, preparing disaster-relief supplies, installing smoke detectors in low-income homes with the Red Cross, and visiting hospice patients with certified therapy dogs. The second annual #HelloCares initiative reflects a philosophy that service extends well beyond financial products.
“#HelloCares reflects who we are as an organization,” said Mike Akers, Hello Credit Union’s president and CEO. “We believe in showing up for our communities—not just in words, but in action.”
Investing in the next generation
In Cherokee County, Georgia, Credit Union of Georgia is weaving community investment into the fabric of membership itself. Through a new partnership with Hobgood Baseball, the credit union donates $50 to the youth league and another $50 to its own community foundation every time a new member joins and selects the program. The effort kicked off on opening day, March 7, when credit union staff celebrated the season alongside players, families, and volunteers. Days later, Credit Union of Georgia was named Partner of the Year by E.T. Booth Middle School in the Cherokee County School District, recognizing sustained volunteer work, school support programs, and community engagement that enrich the educational experience for local students.
“This partnership is about more than baseball,” said Michelle Dobbins, vice president of marketing and foundation board member at Credit Union of Georgia. “It’s about creating opportunities for families to support local programs while learning how financial institutions like credit unions reinvest in the communities they serve.”
In Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the Truliant Foundation awarded $566,500 to more than 125 organizations in 2025, with 68% of grant recipients serving low-income communities and 70% led by minority organizations. Truliant employees also contributed 758 work hours supporting more than 85 nonprofits and schools, while a matching donation campaign provided more than $107,000 for hunger relief alone.
Feeding neighbors, strengthening bonds
Food security has emerged as a rallying point for credit unions in 2026. Rivermark Community Credit Union is matching cash donations up to $5,000 as a major sponsor of the 23rd annual KGW Great Food Drive, which aims to provide more than 1.2 million meals to Oregon and Southwest Washington residents. Virginia Credit Union and its Member One division donated $22,500 to three hunger-relief organizations in Southwest and Central Virginia, building on more than $67,500 given to food banks in 2025. And in the Dayton, Ohio, area, River Valley Credit Union is partnering with local media for the annual Circle of Kindness food drive, where professional chefs at Miami Valley Meals turn donated ingredients into nutritious, ready-to-eat meals distributed free of charge.
“Too many of our neighbors in Oregon and Southwest Washington regularly face hunger or food insecurity,” said Jason Werts, president and CEO of Rivermark Community Credit Union. “Rivermark is proud to support the KGW Great Food Drive on an issue that hits close to home for many of us.”
Credit union giving also extends to the four-legged members of the family. San Diego County Credit Union partnered with Rancho Coastal Humane Society for the third consecutive year to host the “Full Bowls” pet food drive, collecting new dog and cat food at branches across San Diego County throughout March. To date, the campaign has gathered more than 7,700 pounds of food, distributed both to shelter animals and to pet owners facing economic hardship through the humane society’s Pet Food Bank.
“We believe that no pet owner should be forced to relinquish a beloved companion because of economic stress,” said Judi Sanzo, president and CEO of Rancho Coastal Humane Society. The program keeps families together during difficult times, she noted, by sharing food with pet owners in need “no questions asked.”
What the credit union difference looks like
For member-owned institutions across the country, community giving is not a corporate line item. It is woven into a business model that measures success not just in assets, but in coats collected, meals served, and neighbors helped.
