Flooding in Bellevue, Neb., March 2019. (Source: Shutterstock).
Credit unions, state leagues and CUSOs are reaching out to victims of the recent floods that caused billions in damages in four Midwest states, and they are raising tens of thousands of dollars to help them get back on their feet.
With the impact still being felt from last month's devastating floods in Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin, CO-OP Financial Services in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., said Wednesday it has donated $10,000 to the American Red Cross for disaster relief in the region.
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"Overwhelmed levees, water quality concerns and more recent rains are contributing to the on-going need for aid," Todd Clark, president/CEO for CO-OP, said. "We have also been contacting clients and CO-OP employees in the Midwest to assess needs and determine where we can additionally help. The safety of credit union employees, their members and our own employees is our paramount concern."
Credit unions in Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin continue to reach out and help their members who have been affected by the flood, which has caused billions of dollars in residential, business and agricultural property destruction and damages, community evacuations and road and bridge closures, according to various local and national media reports.
What's more, the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation donated $5,000 for relief efforts through CUAid and invited credit unions throughout North Carolina and South Carolina to make donations.
The $516 million Charlotte Metro Federal Credit Union, for example, was among the first to answer the call by contributing $5,000 to CUAid as well, according to CCCF.
The Credit Union Foundation of the Dakotas also authorized a $2,500 donation to CUAid to help flood victims throughout Nebraska where some areas in that state broke all-time record flood levels by as much as five feet.
The disaster relief funds will be distributed to the Nebraska Credit Union League, which will be working with their member credit unions to assess the need for those affected, Credit Union Association of the Dakotas President/CEO Jeff Olson said.
"The pictures and videos coming from Nebraska are heartbreaking," Olson said. "We have been the benefactor of the CUAid program when our members were impacted by flooding in 2010 and 2011. I am pleased that our foundation continues to pay it forward with their donation."
The National Credit Union Foundation said it is currently distributing funds to the Nebraska Credit Union League through the CUAid General Disaster Relief Fund to assist those credit union people affected.
"Thanks to the collective generosity of the credit union movement throughout the year towards the CUAid General Disaster Relief Fund, the Foundation can respond immediately to the needs of those credit union employees and volunteers affected by the flooding," Foundation Executive Director Gigi Hyland said.
Donations can always be made to the General Relief Fund through cuaid.coop to help prepare for future disasters. All donations through CUAid go to credit union disaster relief. The Foundation does not use disaster relief funds to pay for the CUAid.coop web platform or any of the Foundation costs to administer the national disaster relief program for credit unions.
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Peter Strozniak
Credit Union Times reporter covering credit union operations, fraud, M&As, leagues, business continuity, and breaking news.
