Credit unions nationwide have continued to spread joy this holiday season with special giveback campaigns, events, random acts of kindness, food drives and more. Here are some of the recent seasonal charitable giving initiatives shared with CU Times.
Addition Financial’s Season of Giving Volunteer Work
Addition Financial Credit Union team members volunteered their time and resources to support nonprofits across Central Florida, North Florida and South Georgia as part of the $2.9 billion, Lake Mary, Fla.-based credit union’s annual “Season of Giving” campaign.
Over the months of November and December, more than 150 Addition Financial volunteers dedicated over 450 hours of service through 10 volunteer events benefiting 10 different nonprofit organizations. Community projects included:
- Holiday decorating for children and families staying at Give Kids the World Village
- Lobby decorating at Orlando Family Stage ahead of their holiday performances
- Donation sorting at Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida
- The Feed the Community event with Second Harvest of the Big Bend
- Thanksgiving meal distribution at United Against Poverty Orlando
- Gingerbread house building with adults with disabilities at Quest, Inc.
- Cooking and serving meals for families at Ronald McDonald House in Tallahassee
- Hosting a gift wrapping workshop for children receiving services at UCP of Central Florida
- Purchasing gifts for 35 children through the Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Florida “Holiday Cheer” campaign
Addition Financial offers all full-time and part-time team members 16 hours of paid volunteer time each year. In 2025, the credit union is on pace to exceed 1,700 total volunteer hours across its service regions.
Members First Credit Union’s Week of Joy
The $878 million, Midland, Mich.-based Members First Credit Union (M1) recently celebrated its annual Week of Joy, spreading kindness and brightening the days of residents, businesses and nonprofits across Michigan communities. Kicking off on Dec. 3, M1 team members surprised community members with friendly smiles, conversations and $50 Visa gift cards, delivering $12,000 in acts of generosity throughout the week.
During the Week of Joy, M1 team members visited a variety of community locations and people, including bus stops, grocery stores, animal shelters, hospitals, nonprofits, first responders and service workers.
M1 said recipients’ reactions ranged from stunned expressions to smiles and even tears of happiness, and invites everyone to join the movement to #SpreadTheJoy, now and throughout the year.
MSUFCU’s Greater Lansing Hispanic Christmas Symposium
On Dec. 10, the $8.2 billion, East Lansing, Mich.-based MSU Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU) served as the presenting sponsor of the 42nd annual Greater Lansing Hispanic Christmas Symposium in partnership with Michigan State University. The event raised $136,000 for the MSU College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), which helps provide essential services to farmworker students.
MSU’s Farmworker Student Services and CAMP have been supporting farmworker students since 2000, providing academic, financial and mentoring support along with learning opportunities, helping students to successfully navigate the transition during their initial year of study at MSU and providing them with a community of support during their educational career.
REV’s November Food Drive in Response to the Government Shutdown
In response to the government shutdown and reduced SNAP benefits, the $1.1 billion, Summerville, S.C.-based REV Federal Credit Union launched a special November food drive across its branch network to address the rising needs of families facing food insecurity. From Nov. 1-26, all REV branches and headquarters collected canned and boxed goods for local food pantry partners working directly with neighbors experiencing hardship.
Branch teams promoted the initiative using gold #UpTheGood donation bins, member outreach and community engagement efforts. More than 1,300 pounds of food were delivered to Neighbors Together, ECCO (East Cooper Community Outreach), In His Name and the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.
REV noted one moment that stood out during the drive involving the owner of TM Landscaping Solutions. After learning about the initiative from Rivers Avenue Branch Manager Mariel White in Charleston, S.C., the local business owner and REV business member shared that many on his crew grew up experiencing food insecurity. Motivated by the mission, his team returned with a entire truckload of donations, leaving the branch staff in tears with their generosity.
First Harvest Credit Union's Adoption of Six Local Families
The $450 million, Deptford, N.J.-based First Harvest Credit Union’s Charitable Journey Program donated over 150 gifts and adopted six Southern New Jersey families through the Volunteers of America Delaware Valley Adopt-A-Family Program and Arc of Atlantic County this season. The benefiting families live within the six counties First Harvest serves, which are Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland and Gloucester Counties.
Charitable Journey is an employee-led program established by a volunteer group of First Harvest employees. In addition to its quarterly fundraising initiatives to support various charities, the program also raises funds each winter to purchase gifts for families in need within the counties First Harvest serves. Since inception, the Charitable Journey Program has donated over $68,500 to local charities and organizations.
Gifts purchased for the benefitting families this year included children’s toys, bikes and sporting equipment, winter clothing items, arts and crafts kits, and grocery gift cards.
GLCU’s Winter Giveback Campaigns
Great Lakes Credit Union ($1.4 billion, Bannockburn, Ill.) recently announced the impact of its winter giveback campaigns, including its annual winter coat drive and holiday giveback campaign.
GLCU collected more than 850 items for the community through its annual coat drive. During the month of November, GLCU placed donation boxes in its branches and corporate headquarters and asked members and employees to donate gently used or new winter items for children, women and men. The credit union partnered with Cradles to Crayons and The Dwelling Place of Vermilion County to distribute items to the Chicagoland and Danville, Ill., communities, respectively.
The credit union also awarded $250 to 15 members as part of its holiday giveback campaign. To enter, members filled out a form explaining what an extra $250 would mean to them this holiday season.
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