TAMPA, Fla.–As CUToday.info has reported previously, more credit unions are using International Credit Union Week to “pay it forward” in a number of ways, including giving employees the day off to volunteer on projects.
Among those CUs is Suncoast Credit Union here, which said on its second annual “Pay it Forward Day” some 851 employees, family members and friends volunteered at 45 nonprofit organizations across the 17 counties in its market area. The total time volunteered on Oct. 17 was 1,140 hours, valued at $24,635.40, the credit union said.
To raise awareness, Suncoast held a social media contest in which employees who posted on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #SuncoastGivesBack were automatically entered to win $500 for the nonprofit organization of their choice. The three winning employees chose to donate to the American Cancer Society, Bethel Temple Assembly of God, and Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc.
According to Suncoast CU, employees chose where to give their time on the day, with some volunteering individually and some in groups. The nonprofits spanned a wide range, including eight animal shelters, seven education organizations, six home building projects, six police and fire departments, five nursing homes, five faith-based organizations serving the homeless, three road and beach cleanups, two children’s hospitals, two hospices, two community centers, a domestic violence center, a residence for single young mothers, a rehab center, a cancer walk, an organization serving people with disabilities, a meal delivery organization, a community services office, a children’s group home and a library.