DOWNEY, Calif. –Financial Partners Credit Union CEO Nader Moghaddam and his management team don’t typically tempt people to throw pie into their faces, but when it meant raising funds to help children with sickle cell disease, their bring-it-on attitude came shining through.
“With just 243 employees, Financial Partners Credit Union has proven to be an amazingly powerful fundraising force that, in the face of a family crisis, flexes its might,” the credit union said. “Ever since branch operations manager, Karen Wilson’s nine-year-old daughter Jordin Jackson was diagnosed with sickle cell disease five years ago, the entire credit union management and staff enthusiastically jumped into gear and began orchestrating a full spectrum of creative fund raising activities to donate to Jordin’s health provider, Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC).”
This year, Financial Partners CU’s fundraising efforts have taken on a life of their own and intensified in spirit and imagination.
On “Non-Starbucks Day,” Financial Partners Credit Union employees gave up their daily Lattes and Frappuccinos and instead deposited the money into an ever-growing fund destined CHOC to help kids battling life-threatening diseases.
Keeping romance alive, Financial Partners Credit Union’s Date Night, featuring a wine and movie tickets drawing was another popular way to put more money toward this worthy cause. Collections from a root beer float stand, a monthly raffle to win a premium parking space, a summer picnic basket drawing and car detailing services were just some of the other innovative internal fundraisers the credit union employees implemented.
“We consider every person that works at the credit union as family,” said Moghaddam. “We live by the credit union philosophy of people helping people and do what it takes to support our family.”
This year, Jordin was selected as Children’s Hospital of Orange County’s ambassador of CHOC Walk in the Park, with her team appropriately named Jordin’s Journey. This is one of the hospital’s largest annual fundraisers. Financial Partners Credit Union was with Jordin and her team every step of the way.
The proceeds of Financial Partners Credit Union’s fundraising activities total nearly $28,000 to date. Combined with what Jordin has collected on her own through the CHOC Walk in the Park, $40,000 will be contributed to the hospital to provide care to children with sickle cell disease.
“We hope there will someday be a cure for this disease,” said Moghaddam. “In the meantime, Financial Partners Credit Union will continue to do our part in helping Jordin and others win their medical battles.”
At right, Virginia Hernandez, loan servicing representative.