OMNI Community Credit Union, Battle Creek, Mich., donated 27boxes to Operation Christmas Child, a program that collectsshoeboxes filled with small toys, school supplies and hygieneitems. The boxes are then distributed to 100 different countriesaround the world. The credit union was been involved with programfor the past three years.
Genisys Credit Union, Auburn Hills, Mich., helped ensure that needyfamilies in the area could have a Thanksgiving dinner. Credit unionemployees, family members and friends helped pack 300 food boxes atthe Baldwin Center. The event marked the 16th year that the creditunion has participated in the event. The credit union also gave amonetary donation for food to be purchased and plans to packanother 300 food boxes for families during the Christmasholiday.

Eaton Family Credit Union, Euclid, Ohio, delivered over 120pounds of pens during the holiday season to Global Glass Block inEuclid where Tony LaPorte collects necessities for deployed U.S.troops. The credit union partnered with seven other Ohio creditunions and friends to donate the pens for the fourth year in arow.

Wauna Federal Credit Union, Clatskanie, Ore., announced thehosting of holiday fundraising activities at each of its fivebranches. The credit union's Astoria and Warrenton branches teamedup to host events for Clatsop Community Action and a wishing tree.The Vernonia branch sent boxes of love to members in the U.S. ArmedForces. They will continue to sell T-shirts for the VernoniaEducation Foundation and are a collection site for the VernoniaVolunteer Firefighters “Toy and Joy” program throughout the holidayseason. The Clatskanie branch has adopted a family” and will host agiving tree. Also, the St. Helens branch hosted a blood drive forthe American Red Cross and will serve as a collection site forvarious Columbia County charities. The credit union is also hostinga fundraiser for the Columbia Humane Society and a “Toy and Joy”collection site for Columbia River Fire and Rescue.

CommonWealth One Federal Credit Union, Alexandria, Va., donatedmore than 300 pounds of food to the Capital Area Food Bank, whichserves the Washington metro area, and to the Blue Ridge Area FoodBank, which serves the Shenandoah Valley. The credit union's branchin Front Royal, Va., also helped with a food drive, called “Campingfor Hunger 2009,” in conjunction with a local radio station tobenefit the local Salvation Army.

FocalPoint Federal Credit Union, Chittenango, N.Y., announcedthat it will hold a holiday coloring contest that will ensure onelocal child will get exactly what he or she wants this Christmas.The credit union will award five finalists from grades 3 through 5a $10 gift deposited into their FocalPoint Little Star SaversAccount. The grand-prize winner will receive a $50 gift certificateto Toys 'R' Us.

Service Credit Union, Portsmouth, N.H., donated more than 600turkeys for the Thanksgiving holiday to local Salvation Army andother food pantries and overseas to U.S. military installations inGermany. Nonperishable food and canned goods were also collected ateach of the New Hampshire branches, where members and nonmembersdropped off food to be donated to the state's food pantries.

Charter Oak Federal Credit Union, Groton, Conn., donated 200turkeys in honor of former CEO Larry Hertell to the Gemma E. Moran/United Way Labor Food Center during the Thanksgiving holiday.Credit union employees delivered the turkeys, and the donation wasmade possible by the credit union's community giving program andthe employee-funded community outreach program.

Hudson River Community Credit Union, Glens Falls, N.Y.,partnered with local musicians to donate to the 2009 Credit UnionCare for Kids program. Musicians from the Community Caf? Music Hourcame together and donated a community CD for the holiday season.The CD was sold in all the credit union's branches as well as theSaratoga's Community Federal Credit Union branches for $8. Allproceeds benefited the pediatric programs at Glens Falls Hospital,Saratoga Care, Seton Health in Troy, and Sunnyview RehabilitationHospital in Schenectady.

Meriwest Credit Union, San Jose, Calif., announced the winnersof its annual holiday card youth art contest. First Place in the 3to 10 children's age group went to 8-year-old Jenny K. The 11 to 17youth/teen age group's winner was Jazzmin S. Jazzmin's art workwill grace the front of the credit union's holiday cards this year.In all, the credit union awarded cash prizes to three finalists ineach age group, and the prize money was deposited into their youthsavings accounts.