For his 62nd birthday today my staff blessed Harry beyond measure. They provided him with enough food to last weeks, cleaning supplies, dishes, pots and pans, cleaners, a small amount of cash … the list goes on and on. Harry could only say "thank you" and "this is my best birthday ever." I could only be amazed at the genuine care for others my team exhibited and be grateful for a group of employees who embrace the true credit union mission.

This story isn't unique to Texas People FCU, although the fact that this credit union only has $22 million in assets, seven full time employees and two part-timers makes it all the more impressive. Having worked at credit unions, I know there's rarely enough time in a day to get all the daily work done, much less find the time to go above and beyond the call of duty.

Which begs the question: Should credit unions devote scarce resources to helping people without expecting anything in return? Where does service end and charity begin?

Thanks to regulation and technology, financial services have become a commodity. Other than a few basis points on a loan or a buck or two in fees, there's little difference between the products and services offered at a credit union and those consumers can get from a bank.

That means service and structure are the only things that separate the two institutions. The structure part is easy, but what does service mean?

As financial services providers, credit unions are in a unique position to notice when someone within the cooperative needs a helping hand. Sometimes credit unions can help by waiving a fee or taking a risk on a loan, underwriting be damned.

But in Harry's case, there was no product or service that could help him pay his electric bill. There was no financial benefit for the credit union to help him, but Texas People did it anyway.

Reed's Facebook post was clear: The credit union did not help Harry to gain new members or Facebook likes (in fact, Reed posted on his personal page, not the credit union's page), but because Texas People's management and employees are decent human beings who care about others.

I spoke with Reed about the effort, and he described how his employees not only believe in people helping people, they live the philosophy. They couldn't bear the thought of a credit union member going without electricity, which meant suffering in the 100 degree-plus Texas heat and not being able to cook a meal. Reed couldn't bear the thought of a 62-year-old man sleeping on the floor because he couldn't afford a bed. He used his Facebook post to rally friends to not only buy Harry a bed, but also a frame, headboard, linens and use of a delivery truck.

When Reed learned that Harry's birthday was the next day, he went to the grocery store and bought him a cake to celebrate at the credit union. He also dug into his own pocket and bought $50 worth of groceries. He left the supplies in the credit union breakroom. The next day, discovered that his employees had the same idea, filling the credit union with food and household staples purchased with their own money, shown in the photo above.

Despite the fact that Reed and his employees acted on their own, the credit union did benefit. Helping Harry was good for the community. It meant one less homeless person on the streets of Fort Worth. It provided employees with more job satisfaction than they could get from processing all their daily work by 5 p.m.

It also showed all those consumers on Facebook that even if charity isn't officially part of the credit union motto, people who work at credit unions have different values than those who produce profit for shareholders. So many were touched by Harry's story and asked how they could help, Reed established a GoFundMe account to collect donations. As of Thursday afternoon, the effort had raised an additional $365.

The credit union community benefitted as well. During a Cornerstone League chapter meeting, word of Texas People's charity spread and caught the ear of the meeting's speaker, Texas Congressman Matt Krause. The Fort Worth Republican plans to introduce a House resolution honoring Texas People FCU and credit unions for their good deeds.

Reed's friend, BALANCE President/CEO Kathryn Davis, also donated a gift card to Harry and will provide financial counseling to help him improve his finances. As Reed said, credit union employees didn't just want to put a band aid on a bullet hole. They wanted to help Harry move forward and improve his life.

There is room for charity at credit unions because people helping people is the only thing left that sets our community apart from other financial services providers.

I can't think of a better definition of service than going above and beyond the call of duty for a member of your cooperative. It's a wonderful thing for credit unions, America and humanity.

If you'd like to donate to Harry's GoFundMe account, click here.