NAPERVILLE, Ill.– Commitment to the credit union cooperative principle of “Concern for Community” is not always about the directive to “write a check” to a local worthy cause. For Oak Trust Credit Union, it’s more about rolling up your sleeves and getting directly involved.
The credit union’s journey to provide assistance to two community-based organizations and projects in Aurora, Ill., where the $43-million credit union is based, began about three years ago. At that time, credit union CEO Jim Dean was approached by the co-chair of the Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry about serving as a member on their board of directors.
“These organizations epitomize what credit unions are chartered to do,” Dean said. “That is, they understand the commitment to volunteering and providing vital assistance to people of modest means.”
It was apparent this food pantry lacked name recognition with two others in the area receiving local support from churches and other organizations. When an opportunity in December 2014 to purchase commercial time on a local radio station was offered, Dean jumped at the chance. During that month, more than 100 60-second commercials promoting the food pantry and the Matching Pallet Program resulted in achieving a goal of $50,000.
Most recently, the credit union has been recognized as a “Silver Spoon Sponsor” of “Fill the Bowls,” a fundraiser that brought together more than 300 local area community leaders to benefit the food pantry. For the attendees, the event was a prime opportunity to support this vital community food resource. Each Friday afternoon at its main pantry on Aurora’s west side, close to 300 recipients are now able to feed their families. Veterans and disabled individuals can receive assistance from this location every Wednesday. As a result of struggling to keep pace with the growing number of clients coming through its doors, the food pantry recently opened a second facility on Aurora’s east side. The East Aurora site is now serving an additional 70 families every Saturday morning.
Reliable transportation has also been a lifeline to the food pantry’s ability to "rescue" food from local supermarkets and operate its mobile food distributions. When the food pantry’s existing van was literally on its last wheels, Oak Trust and other supporters went into overdrive and collectively donated a new van.
As part of getting the pantry’s transportation needs up to speed, Dean and the credit union secured the installation of a “wrap” on the van to further promote the pantry’s mission. The brand awareness of the Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry has skyrocketed since the sharp new van hit the streets this past summer.
Oak Trust Credit Union staff has also volunteered as a community team that designed, built – and floated – their own cardboard boat as part of the 2nd Annual "Float Your Boat For a Cause" event. The credit union chose to sponsor Rebuilding Together Aurora (RTA) as part of this event. It’s only through support of community-minded organizations like credit unions that RTA is able to preserve homes, rebuild communities and provide free critical home repairs to low-income families, military veterans, senior citizens and people with disabilities.
These are just a few of the many ways that Oak Trust Credit Union has supported these vital community causes and continue to put ‘people’ behind the credit union movement’s fundamental philosophy. “It is our hope that through these efforts, we can continue to personify Marie Wilkinson’s belief that ‘it is a privilege to give a helping hand to people in need by giving their time, effort, expertise, concern and love to improve the quality of lives to those in need’,” Jim concluded.