Members Credit Union Pays it Forward

MCU gives out $80,100 in Three Days to Teachers and Local Non-Profits.

Pay it forward. That’s what Members Credit Union (MCU) is doing with the dividends it received from the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF). Instead of putting the money towards their bottom line, they decided to invest in people and organizations who are working to enrich the lives of others through public service. At the end of August, the credit union delivered checks to those people and organizations in North Carolina, giving away a total of $80,100 in three days.

$7,000 was invested back into schools through a grant program for teachers. Jon Hamby, Member Relations Coordinator at Members CU, contacted Principals in 15 schools throughout North Carolina to announce a grant program to help them buy school supplies. Within three weeks Hamby received 45 grant applications from teachers at 14 of the schools that he contacted.

“We asked teachers to send us a 500 word or less essay describing what they would purchase with the grant money and how it would impact their classroom,” explained Hamby. “We selected one teacher from each school that participated and I delivered a $500 check to each of the winners.”

The credit union also donated money to local non-profits throughout the state. A total of $73,100 was delivered to eleven organizations. The largest recipient being The Carolinas Credit Union Foundation, an organization supported by the credit union industry that partners with Victory Junction, a medically safe camp in Randleman, NC to power its new children’s hospital outreach program called Reach. The foundation also distributes resources to aid disaster-stricken credit union employees, members, and volunteers.

“When we found out that we were eligible for the distribution we knew that we wanted to invest in people and charities who work with children in the communities that our credit union serves,” said Bob Donley, President and CEO of Members CU. “We benefit more by giving the money to teachers and organizations to fund their mission to help children.”

After selecting the grant and donation recipients, Hamby hit the road driving from Morganton, NC to Lumberton, NC to hand out checks. While the credit union is not saying how much their dividend amounted to, they are using the rest of the money they received to fund their Member Scholarship Program and create an emergency disaster relief fund.

The credit union has plans to continue the grant program for teachers for the beginning of the 2019 school year.

$500 Grant Winners

Joy Kniceley receives a $500.00 Teacher Grant from MCU. Pictured left to right is Kim Piercy, MCU's Hickory Branch Manager, Joy Kniceley, Teacher at St. Stephens Elementary in Hickory and Jon Hamby, MCU's Member Relations Coordinator.

Cathy Blackwell -C. Wayne Collier Elementary – Hope Mills, NC
Desiree Ferguson -Hasty Elementary – Thomasville, NC
Elizabeth Pearson -Hillcrest Elementary -Morganton, NC
Erin James -Kernersville Elementary – Kernersville, NC
Erin Rulon -Mineral Springs Elementary – Winston Salem, NC
Josh Peterson -Drexel Elementary – Drexel, NC
Joy Kniceley -St Stephens Elementary – Conover, NC
Lynn Evans - North Newton Elementary – Newton, NC
Marcia Kinley -West Lenoir Elementary – Lenoir, NC
Martha Arrington-Mountain Park Elementary – State Road, NC
Rebecca Washam -Griffith Elementary – Winston-Salem, NC
Sabrina Peacock -Oakhill Elementary – High Point, NC
Shauntia McLeod - W. H. Knuckles Elementary - Lumberton, NC
Sherri Beam -S. Ray Lowder Elementary – Lincolnton, NC

Donation Recipients

Out of the Garden Project in Greensboro, NC received a donation from MCU. Pictured left to right is Barbara Clinton, Teller at MCU's High Point Branch, Courtney Michel, MCU's Greensboro Branch Manager and Don Milholin, Founder of the Out of the Garden Project.

The Carolinas Credit Union Foundation - $19,100.00
H.O.P.E. - $10,800.00
Out of the Garden Project - $7,200.00
Giving Kids Hope Foundation - $7,200.00
Morganton Men’s Club – To provide bikes for Christmas Cheer Charity - $7,200.00
ALMS House - $3,600.00
Lumberton Christian Care Center - $3,600.00
Baptist Children’s Home – Mills Home Campus - $3,600.00
Tri-County Christian Crisis Ministry - $3,600.00
Robin’s Nest Children’s Advocacy Center - $3,600.00
Hesed House of Hope - $3,600.00