People Helping People in 2020
For many years people helping people has been the credit union mantra. The times we are living in now remind us all how important it is to look out for our neighbors. At Clackamas, we plan to do more of that in the weeks, months, and years to come. Curious about what we’ve done in our community so far in 2020? Let’s dive in:
» Paying it forward
A group of employees stepped up to recognize a young Clackamas member for his generosity. This member saved his allowance for a whole year and used it to buy toys for children in-need. When his story was heard after the toys were brought to our McLoughlin Branch, our staff were inspired. Through an employee led initiative, employees donated $300 for the Gladstone Food Pantry in his name.
» Freezin’ for a reason
In February, 25 Clackamas volunteers took a chilly dip into the Columbia River to help raise money and awareness for Special Olympics Oregon. This was our third year participating in Special Olympics Oregon’s Polar Plunge. Four of these folks were extra brave by taking on the Super Plunge challenge. That means once an hour for 24-hours straight they took the plunge. Together our Plungers and Super Plungers raised over $34,000 for Special Olympics Oregon!
» Communities coming together
An effort organized by students at Molalla High School, Share the Love is a truly inspiring event. Organizations from Molalla and Canby come together to help raise money for folks in need. Recipients are chosen based on need and their compelling stories are shared. We are an honored sponsor of this event, and our staff truly loves attending the assembly to see these kids in action.
» Helping those who need it most
It should be no secret that we love supporting our friends at Clackamas Service Center (CSC). It is a vibrant and inclusive “one-stop” community campus, offering families and individuals food and other resources for improved safety, health, and stability on their path toward self-sufficiency. Through the years, we have supported CSC in various ways: collecting donations in branches, volunteering in the kitchen, helping clean up after their devastating fire, and a long history of monetary support.
In the midst of the pandemic, CSC had to completely change the way they operate in order to keep staff, volunteers, and clients safe. In order to help them continue to serve their community, Clackamas stepped up with a $7,500 donation. Since the end of March, Clackamas volunteers have been delivering food boxes twice a week. These food boxes are life-saving measures for individuals as they keep their families fed. Since the deliveries began, our volunteers have spent at least 52 hours driving around our community helping CSC reach those in need. Recently, Marketing Communication Specialist Hilary joined their newly formed Ambassador Committee. This group of diverse young professionals will work to engage millennial volunteers, donors, and help spread CSC’s mission.
» Sharing knowledge
We truly love sharing financial education with our community. Throughout the year we have taught classes with multiple community partners – Northwest Housing Alternatives, Metropolitan Family Services, WorkSource Oregon, and Serendipity Center. Through our partnership with Financial Beginnings Oregon we have had the pleasure of teaching in three local high schools – Canby, West Linn, and Sandy. We’ve also hosted three of our own member workshops! Since the beginning of the year, we have spent over 85 hours teaching financial literacy to 924 individuals all across the county.
With schools closed and large gatherings unsafe, we were quick to adapt to the new environment to continue our positive impact for these learners. Since the pandemic hit our education efforts have gone virtual. We’ve hosted web-based workshops and webinars for our community partners, continued our member workshops, and have even recorded a sessions for Financial Beginnings Oregon for high school students! We look forward to continuing to adapt and help folks learn more about their finances no matter the learning climate.
» Spreading joy
In addition to being a Chemo Pal Mentor, Marketing Communication Specialist Hilary joined the Young Professionals Council at Children’s Cancer Association. This dedicated group of young leaders strives to engage their generation in fundraising and volunteer efforts to bring joy, music, and friendship to seriously ill children in Portland.