By Thomas Olney
One of the most important lessons I have learned is that there is no excuse to sit on the sidelines. Even if it seems there are others who are more talented or more able than you, it is still possible to make a difference in your own way.
One way to do that is by getting your company and coworkers excited about a cause or organization that makes it easy for everyone to get involved. Not only will this spawn a sense of camaraderie among team members, but it will also create a cycle of giving back that can be continued as a company for years to come.
Given the credit union philosophy of “people helping people,” we should all take on the responsibility of giving back to those who are less fortunate.
The Credit Union Development Educator program run by the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) gives credit union employees the chance to not only become Certified Development Educators (DE), but also to do some good. As part of my role of VP of Learning for PSCU, I was tasked with finding a community service project of which 100 fellow DEs could be a part, which would benefit one of the largest social issues in the Tampa Bay area: homelessness.
The “tent city” crisis in St. Petersburg, Fla. made national news years ago, and the city has been working to repair the homelessness disaster ever since. PSCU and other credit union attendees decided to team up with local nonprofit organization Pinellas Hope during this year’s NCUF DE Annual Workshop, which was held in St. Petersburg.
Located in Pinellas County, Pinellas Hope serves as a temporary shelter for homeless men and women, and assists residents with job and housing placement. The “day of service” portion of the workshop included a fundraising element, where attendees raised over $25,000 in just one hour, which was donated to support Pinellas Hope’s mission of providing shelter for the homeless.
In addition to fundraising, participants helped furnish and decorate 14 Pinellas Hope apartments by assembling furniture and stocking the pantries and kitchens with household items and more.
Start of a Larger Relationship
This fundraiser was the start of a larger relationship between PSCU and Pinellas Hope. PSCU is committed to continuing to serve and support the homeless population in Pinellas County through its partnership with the nonprofit. PSCU’s employee-led band, Rockovate, recently put on a concert to raise funds for Pinellas Hope through T-shirt sales, a raffle, and other donations. Many PSCU employees have even gotten involved with the organization on their own, dedicating their time and energy independently of PSCU’s efforts.
Each PSCU employee is encouraged to take an active role in serving by using two paid vacation days each year to support a community service project of their choice. As a result of the CUSO’s philanthropic efforts, PSCU was recently named a finalist in the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s 2017 Corporate Philanthropy Awards, which highlight companies that have sanctioned giving and volunteering in the local community. PSCU employees consistently band together to support other causes, including Metropolitan Ministries and Feeding Tampa Bay locally, as well as Junior Achievement and the American Cancer Society nationally.
Fostering ongoing support and year-round giving is as simple as finding ways to combine your personal goals with those of your coworkers and other members of your community. When you share a cause about which you are passionate with those around you, amazing things can happen.
Tom Olney oversees business processes to ensure approved initiatives are completed in an accurate and timely manner at PSCU. He directs the development and implementation of major initiatives within the department and ensures all solutions enhance talent management, align with the overall strategic direction, and enable PSCU to achieve objectives and maintain its competitive advantage.