A World Of Good

Humanitarian Highlight 10/29/2020

Happy Humanitarian Highlight Day! It’s the last one for the month of October before we enter into November! We hope you all had a wonderful month and hope you have enjoyed reading all the acts of kindness this past month. We look forward to finding more stories and seeing credit unions from all around the country make their communities a little brighter and a world of good.

Workers Credit Union

Workers Credit Union members provided $41,000 to local non-profits through their annual GiveBack program earlier in September. Executives presented checks to each of the organizations, which included Habitat for Humanity, who received $17,300, and Worcester County Food Bank, who received $23,600. We’re so inspired by their members’ generosity Awesome job!

Rogue Credit Union

In just two weeks, Rogue Credit Union was able to raise more than $1 million for the families and communities affected by the wildfires in Oregon. These devastating fires destroyed thousands of structures and towns, displacing thousands of people in Oregon.

Indiana Members Credit Union

Indiana Members Credit Union presented a check for $1,974 to Carmel High School Athletics as part of their ongoing school spirit debit card program. The program allows Carmel fans the opportunity to show their school spirit and support the athletic program by signing up for a Carmel Greyhounds-themed debit card.  Every time the card is used as a signature-based transaction, Carmel Athletics benefits. 

Black Hills Federal Credit Union

A group of BHFCU employees were able to lend a helping hand in their final Adopt-A-Mile cleanup of the year. What a great way to keep their community spotless and beautiful! Great job, BHFCU!

Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union

AAACU Board of Directors Chairperson, Charlie Negro, presented an $800 check on behalf of AAACU to the pastor of Oscoda Assembly of God church. These funds will be used to purchase a truckload of food for their monthly grocery giveaway, which helps to feed about 250 families throughout the Oscoda community.

Suffolk Federal Credit Union

Thanks to Suffolk FCU, the Gateway Performing Arts Center (“The Gateway Playhouse”) of Suffolk County in ­Bellport, N.Y., received a $10,000 grant that administered small business relief grants from the Home Loan Bank of New York, created to support the financial security and health of workers who are employed by organizations that have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. 

Capital Area Federal Credit Union

Every year in September and October, our community comes together to rally around our cancer survivors, fighters and loved ones. The Capital Area FCU crew participated in their virtual Walk for Hope this year! They were able to raise over $1,000 for the organization. Great job, everyone!

Thank you for tuning in to our Humanitarian Highlight! We’ll be back next week with some more generous credit unions! Please check out last week’s post, and please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions about our products & services through our email or by phone (800) 537-9598, especially if your credit union needs the best lending documents!

Sigh of Relief

Humanitarian Highlight 10/22/2020

Humanitarian Highlight 10/22/2020 | Sigh of Relief

Good morning #CUfamily! Today’s #HumanitarianHighlight consists of a few credit unions who have done great deeds to ensure that everyone in their community is taken care of and is shown support. If you can, follow and like your fellow credit union’s mentioned pages, so we can help grow the credit union family even more. For those in need, there are credit unions to give a sigh of relief.

New Horizons Credit Union

Providing a helping hand, New Horizons donated $1,000 to the Penelope House which offers safe shelter and free resources to victims of domestic violence! The credit union’s employees raised the money through their jean days as a way to help support local charities.

“Penelope House helps victims of intimate partner violence to gain social and economic independence through shelter, counseling, advocacy, and referral to community resources and agencies in Mobile, Washington, Choctaw, and Clarke Counties in Alabama.  The shelter can provide refuge for victims and their children when their lives are in imminent danger. The temporary shelter allows escaping from a violent situation. The prevention of domestic violence through education and public awareness is the goal of Penelope House.” Penelope House, Inc.

 Click HERE to learn more!

Cutting Edge Credit Union

Wanting to help the firefighters who are battling fires, Cutting Edge CU found out they were in need of Chapstick to protect them from the heat and wind. The credit union donated 500 tubes of lip balm to the Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue to be distributed to all the frontline firefighters.

DuGood Federal Credit Union

Lending a helping hand, DuGood FCU partnered up with United Way Orange County, TX to help pass out meals and supplies to people who were affected by Hurricane Laura. Incredible job #CUfamily!

Fitzsimons Federal Credit Union

Let’s give a round of applause to Fitzsimons FCU for reaching their goal of $50,000 for donations to local food banks. To help reach a bigger goal, the credit union now wants to raise $100,000 by working with other credit unions with a virtual food drive for Food Bank of the Rockies.

“1 in 10 Coloradans worry where their next meal will come from. These are people you meet every day- those with low-wage jobs, children, seniors on fixed incomes, those with health issues. Surprisingly, the homeless represent only 10% of our food recipients. Nearly half of the food we distribute feeds children.

Hunger can be found everywhere – often where you least expect it. The homeless population represents only about 10% of our food recipients.” Food Bank of the Rockies

Click HERE to learn more about the Food Bank of the Rockies!

Click HERE to head to their site to donate!

Members 1st of NJ Federal Credit Union

Congratulations to Members 1st of NJ FCU for being awarded a $90,000 block grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York’s COVID-19 Small Business Recovery Grant to help businesses and nonprofits recover from the pandemic.

Contact Members 1st of NJ FCU to find out how your business or nonprofit may qualify for the grant.

Arbor Financial Credit Union

Taking the time to help raise awareness, Arbor Financial CU joined in the Stomp Out Stigma 5k! The team was able to raise $4,110 for The Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan – be nice.

“The Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan is a local nonprofit that provides mental health education through our programs be nice. & Live Laugh Love. Our staff is also certified to teach Mental Health First Aid. be nice. is our leading education program that is catered to all ages, K-senior citizens. be nice. is an acronym and a four-step Action Plan to notice, invite, challenge, and empower yourself or someone struggling with their mental health. You can learn the be nice. Action Plan and take the Pledge to be nice. in your community at www.benice.org.” be nice.

Click HERE to learn more.

Linn Area Credit Union

Outstanding job to Linn Area CU for donating $10,000 to HACAP in an effort to help provide food and other supplies and services to people who were affected by the derecho storm.

“We are HACAP – a diverse, community-focused nonprofit dedicated to the sustained improvement of human life in our communities. As one of eighteen Iowa community action agencies, we provide flexible and adaptive programs and services that work toward removing the barriers to self-sufficiency. HACAP provides service in six counties in Iowa: Benton, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, and Washington. We build collaboration among for-profit, nonprofit, faith-based, service groups, and community members in order to make stronger, healthier communities.

Poverty is a complex human condition, which in many respects lingers outside traditional market economics. Poverty creates barriers to human progress, restricting individual opportunity. Its impacts need to be addressed locally for maximized results.” HACAP

Click HERE to learn more!

Thank you for reading this Humanitarian Highlight! Please check out last week’s post, and please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions about our products & services through our email or by phone (800) 537-9598, especially if your credit union needs the best lending documents!

Top 10 Credit Union Conferences to Attend

As the leading provider of compliant lending documents and forms for credit unions, we pride ourselves on staying ahead of the curve, keeping up with all the latest trends in the industry, and are always open to learning more. Attending credit union conferences means getting the chance to broaden your network, promote deeper understanding, uncover new knowledge, and reinforce existing practices.

We hope to see you soon at any of these Top 10 Credit Union Conferences to Attend.

With the COVID-19 pandemic impact on in-person gatherings, many credit union conferences have had to re-invent, postpone, or cancel for 2020. With all the changes in CU conferences this year, many credit union events are going fully virtual, giving many peers in our industry the opportunity to attend a show they wouldn’t normally consider with travel.

Whether it be in person or online, now is the perfect time to make plans for you and your team to take advantage of the learning opportunities that can help keep your credit union on top of all the latest trends and innovations in the industry. Here is a list of the top 10 CU conferences to attend in 2020 and 2021 that will surely make continuing education a cornerstone of your growth strategy!

Head to the Oak Tree Business Systems, Inc. blog to learn more about what’s happening in the credit union industry!

1. Credit Union Leadership Convention

Who: PEI Media

What: The Credit Union industry’s first virtual week-long convention! Choose from 7 Breakout Summits and learn from the world’s most inspiring keynote speakers.

When: Jul. 28 — 31, 2020

Where: VIRTUAL EVENT

2.  Credit Union Marketplace Experience

Who: Cooperative Credit Union Association

What: The largest show of its kind in New England has now gone virtual! Every Monday morning from August through October you will get the opportunity to showcase your products and services to hundreds of credit union leaders from all over, for a total of 9 sessions.

When: Aug. 3 — Oct. 5, 2020

Where: VIRTUAL EVENT

3.  Congressional Caucus

Who: NAFCU

What: Premier credit union lobbying event of the year where you will have access to lawmakers and regulators who determine future laws that govern our industry.

When: Sep. 13 — 16, 2020

Where: Washington, D.C.

4.  The Lending Conference

Who: NAFCU

What: Learn to build your credit union lending portfolio with the best practices, ideas, and tactics from the industry’s most successful lenders.

When: Oct. 19 — 21, 2020

Where: San Diego, California

5.   REACH

Who: California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues

What: Learn from hundreds of credit union professionals and gain access to expert advice and valuable products from multiple vendors.

When: Oct. 25 — 29, 2020

Where: Palm Desert, CA

6.   The Great New England Credit Union Show

Who: American Business Media

What: The must-attend event for anyone working in the credit union industry. Learn the latest in cybersecurity, member engagement, and much more with hundreds of credit union colleagues.

When: Nov. 13, 2020

Where: MGM Springfield, MA

7.   Minnesota Credit Union Network Annual Conference

Who: California and Nevada Credit Union League

What: These 2 days will feature guest speakers, educational sessions, networking opportunities, the MnCUN Business Meeting, in the state’s largest credit union vendor exhibit hall.

When: Nov. 18 — 19, 2020

Where: Bloomington, Minnesota

8.   LAUNCH Conference

Who: The Carolinas Credit Union League

What: Returning for its fourth consecutive year, learn to LAUNCH your operations and service success with the latest trends, strategies, and products.

When: Feb. 4 — 5, 2021

Where: Charlotte, NC

9.   Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC)

Who: CUNA

What: CUNA’s biggest event, gathering thousands of credit union leaders in Washington, D.C.

When: Feb. 28 — March 4, 2021

Where: Washington, DC

10. 53rd Annual Conference & Solutions Expo

Who: NAFCU

What: Conference designed for your leadership team to learn and strategize together, while discovering the megatrends in the most important topics that affect credit unions.

When: Jul. 27 — 30, 2021

Where: Savannah, Georgia

Is there an event you would put on your Top 10 Credit Union Conferences to Attend that we did not? Let us know!

International Credit Union Day 2020

International Credit Union Day 2020

On October 15, 2020, credit unions all over the U.S. celebrated the 72nd International Credit Union Day 2020! The theme this year was “Inspiring Hope for a Global Community.”

The first ICU Day was celebrated in 1927 by the Credit Union League of Massachusetts. After a few years of not celebrating the holiday due to rapid growth and change in the credit union industry, ICU was established on the third Thursday of October.

ICU Day is a day of recognizing the CU global community, celebrating the progress we’ve made with the #CUmovement, and giving back to the people we serve.

Although 2020 has brought many challenges, credit unions have shown true resilience. We have been in awe of the work CUs have done for their communities in the last few months, and how the #poeplehelpingpeople movement has only gained speed in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There is no better way to celebrate ICU Day than by featuring some of our #CUfamily and the ways they are celebrating!

A+ Federal Credit Union showed their spirit for ICU Day by driving in a parade for the Austin Habitat for Humanity.

Georgia United Credit Union donated $5,000 to four area food banks for their #fighthunger challenge.

Maui County Federal Credit Union packed 554 bags of emergency food for the Maui Food Bank.

Delta County Credit Union paid for lunches at local restaurants for #CULunchLocal.

Linn Area Credit Union is raising money for United Way of East Central Iowa.

Northeast Credit Union gave our $5 to lucky members.

Synergy Credit Union made a $100,000 donation that will be distributed among more than 30 schools in West-Central Saskatchewan.

United Savings Credit Union is matching donations up to $1,000 until October 30th for Great Plains Food Bank and the Becker County Food Bank.

Don’t forget to check out our 2020 ICU Day YouTube video.

We are elated that there is a holiday to celebrate the credit union movement, but we all know the great work CUs do doesn’t stop there. We like to honor the #CUfamily every week in our #HumanitarianHighlight blog posts!

Oak Tree is proud to be a part of the #CUmovement. As a credit union partner, you can count on us. Contact us today for your compliant and member-friendly forms.

Good Deeds Last Forever

Humanitarian Highlight 10/15/20

Humanitarian Highlight 10/15/20 | Good Deeds Last Forever

Hello everyone, happy Thursday and welcome back to an all-new Humanitarian Highlight! It brings us so much joy to see all these wonderful credit unions perform good deeds in their communities. These credit unions have exemplified so much hospitality towards others and we wanted to shine the spotlight on them! Thank you to everyone who was involved in these exceptional acts of kindness! Catch us back next week for more incredible stories. Because Good deeds last forever.

Public Service Credit Union

Public Service Credit Union awarded ten students $1,000 each. Due to gathering restrictions because of COVID-19, the awardees were honored online at www.PSCUnow.com/scholarships.

Marshfield Medical Center Credit Union

During the month of August, Marshfield Medical Center Credit Union (MMCCU) asked members to bring their coins in for deposit. At the end of the month, MMCCU would donate a percentage of the profits up to $500 to a local charity. Members brought in a total of $14,496.54 coins for deposit in August.

Logix Federal Credit Union 

Logix Federal Credit Union announced Tuesday the conclusion of its Paying with a Purpose campaign, having raised $50,000 to benefit five local hospitals serving its branch communities.

Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union

In honor of Hunger Action Month, Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union decided to match gifts to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank’s Virtual Food Drive, which was up to $10,000!

Members 1st Federal Credit Union

Members 1st Federal Credit Union held its 23rd Annual Charity Golf Classic on Monday, August 31, 2020. The outing format consisted of a four-person scramble with assigned tee times. There were 128 golfers, and it was held at Hershey Country Club. Beneficiaries of the outing included A Week Away Foundation, Central PA Food Bank, Lancaster Recreation Commission, and The Salvation Army. A grand total of $125,000 was raised, and each organization took home checks in the amount of $22,000

The Northwest Federal Credit Union

The charitable arm of Northwest Federal Credit Union recently presented a check for $10,000 to Dr. Julie Leidig, provost of Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA)-Loudoun for use by the NOVA-Loudoun campus for its Lifeline program, an emergency relief fund for students at the Loudoun Campus.

Diamond Credit Union

Diamond Credit Union awarded the 17th annual Alfred A. Panfile Memorial Scholarships to seven local and very deserving students. A total of $7,000 in scholarships were awarded to the Class of 2020. Mr. Panfile was a longtime volunteer member of Diamond’s Board of Directors before his passing in 2012.

Today is a very special day for the Credit Union Community as it is International Credit Union Day, aka ICU Day. It is a great opportunity for us to help raise awareness for those who are not members of a CU to learn how we are helping create and build communities. Especially amidst a global pandemic, we are seeing many members of credit unions find hope and help through their credit unions. This is one of the largest factors that differentiate credit unions from other financial institutions.

Thank you for reading this Humanitarian Highlight! Please check out last week’s post, and please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions about our products & services through our email or by phone (800) 537-9598, especially if your credit union needs the best lending documents! Good deeds last forever and so does our love for the credit union community!

Taking that Extra Step

Humanitarian Highlight 10/8/2020 | Taking that Extra Step

Humanitarian Highlight 10/8/2020

Welcome back, credit union family! How has everyone’s week been going so far? In today’s #HumanitarianHighlight we mentioned a few credit unions that took that extra stride in making sure the members of their community feel safe and heard. If you know of a credit union that has positively impacted their community, tag us and let us know so we can give them a shoutout! Taking that extra step isn’t hard, especially when you have humanitarians ready to help.

American Heritage Credit Union

Helping creating a #CUdifference, American Heritage CU raised $8,338 AND donated 2,284 books from their Books For Kids program!

Want to become a Book Buddy? Call their branch 215.969.0777 for more information!

Wright-Patt Credit Union

WOW! Wright-Patt Credit Union’s Sunshine Community Fund raised well over $260,000 from October 2019 to June 2020!

“An $80,000 check was presented to each of their most recent Sunshine Community Champions – Dayton Children’s Hospital and Rebuilding Together Dayton. The remaining $100,000 will go back into the Fund to help support additional community efforts throughout the year. Since 2013, the Sunshine Community Fund has contributed over $2 million to local nonprofit organizations.  WPCU held a virtual check presentation to celebrate this milestone while maintaining safe social distancing.

‘Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, WPCU has been working hard to help our members and the communities we serve to build strength,’ said Tracy A. Szarzi-Fors, Wright-Patt Credit Union’s Vice President of Marketing and Business Development. ‘We’re proud to continue supporting local nonprofits that make such a big impact in people’s lives like Dayton Children’s Hospital and Rebuilding Together Dayton.’” Wright-Patt Credit Union

Click HERE to read more!

Great Northwest Federal Credit Union

From the hiatus of the pandemic, a ton of events and meetups had to be canceled due to health reasons. At the end of July, Relay for Life of Grays Harbor hosted a drive-thru event, and with such a generous credit union, Great Northwest FCU participated and donated $5,600!

Georgia United Credit Union

During one of the random acts of kindness stops, Georgia United CU delivered snacks to the faculty and staff from the University of North Georgia!

TwinStar Credit Union

Nothing is ever going to get in the way of this crew! TwinStar CU’s Relay For Life Committee is not letting COVID get in the way of helping out their community. Even with the pandemic, the committee raised an astounding amount of $15,657 to be donated to Relay For Life of Thurston County!

Click HERE to read about their virtual events!

Click HERE to learn about Relay For Life!

Del-One Federal Credit Union

Continuing to show their #CUdifference, this year Del-One FCU donated to 37 organizations while also celebrating 60 years of service!

Click HERE to see what types of positive deeds Del-One FCU has been involved in the past.

Frontwave Credit Union

Let’s give a big round of applause to Frontwave CU for being honored with 6 MAC Awards for excellence in marketing from the Marketing Association of Credit Unions.

“‘It’s an honor to be recognized among our peers who all do such incredible work in the industry. Frontwave has made great strides with our new brand and elevating market awareness, affinity, member loyalty, and penetration in a highly competitive market,’ said Todd Kern, Chief Marketing Officer for Frontwave Credit Union.” CUtoday

CU Forward Day 2020

The annual celebration is happening on Monday, October 12, 2020!

What is CU Forward Day about? This is a statewide day for all Minnesota credit unions to help spread kindness throughout their communities.

“Last year, a total of 58 credit unions and organizations dedicated over 20,000 hours of service to the community as a collective whole with 4,000+ volunteers. The concept spread outside of Minnesota across our nation, as well, with the Illinois Credit Union League launching CU Kind Day, a credit union-driven kindness day, and Mississippi credit unions piloting a giveback day through their young professional’s group, LEAD.” Minnesota Credit Union Network

Click HERE to learn more!

Thank you for reading this Humanitarian Highlight! Please check out last week’s post, and please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions about our products & services through our email or by phone (800) 537-9598, especially if your credit union needs the best lending documents!

New Blessings

Humanitarian Highlight 10/1/20

Humanitarian Highlight 10/1/20 | New Blessings

Happy October everyone and happy Humanitarian Highlight day! It is always a pleasure to shine the spotlight on some amazing credit unions that are doing incredible acts of kindness for their communities. These new blessings are going to help build some great communities!

This week we also wanted to bring awareness to this year’s CU FORWARD Day, an annual celebration of credit unions spreading kindness! This Minnesota event is held annually and is a statewide initiative of credit union employees, members, and partners coming together to volunteer with local organizations, and generally give a huge “thank you” to the people who deserve it most. Minnesota’s Credit Unions will hold its CU FORWARD Day on Monday, October 14! For more information, make sure to click HERE and tune in for more!

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First Trust Credit Union

This year, First Trust Credit Union distributed a total of $8,630 in scholarships to eight local high school students. “What’s very exciting about our scholarship program is that we offer scholarships to both students pursuing typical four-year degrees, and also students pursuing associates degrees, certificates, and apprenticeships,” said Dorene Martinson, Marketing Director for First Trust Credit Union.

Navy Federal Credit Union

Navy Federal Credit Union employee volunteers collected and donated various school supplies to Sherwood Elementary School during their annual Sponsor a Teacher drive in Pensacola on Friday, August 21, 2020.

Blackhawk Community Credit Union 

Blackhawk Community Credit Union donated $250,000 to a local free clinic despite the credit union’s recent financial retrenchment. The money will be used to buy a building or property to establish a new health care center for HealthNet.

Travis Credit Union

In the wake of the LNU Lightning Complex Fires, the Travis Credit Union Foundation has started accepting donations to address urgent needs. The donations will provide financial assistance for victims, firefighters, and communities that have been impacted by the fires. They also serve to provide funding for anyone in need of food, shelter, clothing, and money for necessities. TCU will cover all administrative costs, so 100 percent of donations will go toward supporting recovery efforts.

Christian Community Credit Union

Christian Community Credit Union donated $10,000 to International Ministries’ (IM) relief effort in response to the devastating massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon. IM has global servants serving in the area who can offer immediate help to those affected by the blast.

Rogue Credit Union

The Oregon legislature recently approved $35 million to provide one-time payments of $500 to Oregonians who were financially impacted by the coronavirus. The $35 million in funding is being distributed by specific credit unions across the state. In southern Oregon, the Medford-based Rogue Credit Union has offered to provide any assistance needed. Thank You, Rogue CU!

Calhoun Liberty Employees Credit Union

With school starting back up again, the Calhoun Liberty Employees CU put together goody bags for teachers and staff at all the Liberty County and Calhoun County schools. They also took the liberty of going around and delivering them all!

Thank you for reading this Humanitarian Highlight! Please check out last week’s post, and please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions about our products & services through our email or by phone (800) 537-9598, especially if your credit union needs the best lending documents!