Credit union pilot program responds to growing food insecurity
With a people-first mission, credit unions often meet community needs that go above and beyond financial services. A new America’s Credit Unions Blog post shares how Tucson Federal Credit Union is addressing food insecurity in the community.
Partnering with the Tucson Unified School District, the credit union supports a pilot program to distribute more than 200 emergency grocery gift cards to students’ families in three schools (one primary, one middle, and one high school).
"This is about meeting families with practical support in a way that protects dignity," said Krystal Adams, chief operating officer at Tucson Federal Credit Union. "School counselors and educators are often the first to recognize when a family is under strain. By placing these resources in trusted hands at the school level, we can respond quickly and thoughtfully, right where help is most needed."
The credit union’s origin serving teachers within the school district shapes its community outreach to this day, and Vice President of Culture and Development John Jackson says the program also gives the school system a “a partner in the community that's willing to talk about different ideas that they see first-hand.”