JACKSON, Mich.–Community Choice Credit Union team members are “giving big” as Community Choice Credit Union kicks off its Give Big Month. Through Sept. 19, 300-plus team members are aiming to give a total of 3,000 volunteer hours to charities across Michigan, including the Jackson community, Community Choice CU said.
“The Give Big culture runs deep at Community Choice Credit Union as we all put the philosophy of giving big into action,” said Robert Bava, Community Choice Credit Union CEO. “We launched the Community Choice Foundation and our Give Big philosophy in 2008 as a way to give back to members and neighbors, and it has become a way of life for us. Since 2008, more than 20,000 volunteer hours and more than $1 million has been donated to charitable programs in Michigan.”
In the Jackson area, Give Big Month kicked off with:
- Back-to-School Backpacks -- Community Choice partnered with Jackson-area radio station K105.3 Jackson Radio Works to donate 1,000 backpacks to area school children. On Monday, August 21 about 700 backpacks were presented to Jackson-area children at Community Choice’s Spring Arbor Member Center. Another 300 will be given away throughout the month by the radio station. Community Choice filled 500 of those backpacks with essential back-to-school supplies, and the radio station filled the remaining 500.
“Our Spring Arbor member center opened in 2015, and since then we’ve enjoyed getting involved with the Jackson community,” shared Bridget Simone, Spring Arbor Member Center Manager. “We chose the backpack giveaway to kick off Give Big Month because there is nothing more important than preparing children for success in education. Hopefully these 1,000 kids will have a better start to the school year because of it.”
Additional events yet to come in the Jackson area this month include:
- Kids Talk Stuffed Toys -- Team members at the Jackson and Muskegon member centers will make 100 stuffed animals that will be donated to Kids Talk, a local organization that works with children that are dealing with abuse.
“Stuffed animals provide comfort to everyone – from kids to adults. They provide even more comfort when someone is going through a traumatic point in their life,” Casey Zonts explains. “The Kids Talk organization works with children to collect testimonies of the physical and sexual abuse they’ve experienced. The friendly stuffed animals help make this a less traumatic experience.”
- Meals at the Jackson Interfaith Shelter – Jackson area team members will serve free lunch to citizens of the community who may not have the means for the meal, or may be homeless.
- Building Wheel Chair Ramps – On Sept. 9, 2017 handy Community Choice team members will put their carpentry skills to work, partnering with the Jackson Rotary to build wheel chair ramps for local residents. Through the day approximately 1 ramp will be built by 6-8 team members and the Rotary crew, making life a little easier for neighbors who use wheelchairs.
Give Big charitable initiatives will continue through September 19 across Michigan. The events will focus on Community Choice Credit Union Foundation’s core areas of giving: health and human services, community beautification and revitalization, capacity building and basic needs.