Responding to urgent appeals from a Denver food bank, Colorado credit unions acted quickly to organize a statewide food drive to help stock the shelves.
"This all came together very quickly after a local TV station interviewed one of our CEOs who was alerted to the problem," said a spokeswoman for the Credit Union Association of Colorado of the 15-CU campaign to collect canned and nonperishable items.
The project came together early last week after the Food Bank of the Rockies reported 12% of Colorado families were now concerned about getting food and "unsure where they will find their next meal."
Rainy Thoen, president/CEO of Community Choice CU of Denver, first got the call from Food Bank of the Rockies and her comments regarding the state of affairs aired on a Fox TV affiliate in Denver. Thoen had said, "We're doing all we can to address the financial concerns of our members by easing the credit crunch, but there is a need beyond that to help families who have fallen on hard times and are finding it difficult to simply put food on the table."
The 15 CUs include Bellco, Brighton FCU, BSC Community, College, Columbine FCU, Coors, Denver Community FCU, Denver Water, Eagle Legacy, Longs Peak, Minnequa, Norbel, Power, Security Service FCU and Westminster.
