2019 Scholarship Winner – Integrity Federal Credit Union

Our Annual $1000 – 2019 Scholarship winner this year was Bailey C. – participants were asked to write an essay on the question: ‘What type of community outreach does my Credit Union participate in and why is Credit union community outreach important?’ The essay as follows:

My credit union is Integrity Federal Credit Union and it couldn’t be named any better. I learned in my Ethics class that Integrity is being honest, righteous and noble-minded. My credit union is truly integrity in action with all of the community outreach it does.

One event is the Annual Shred It Day where we bring our old personal documents and can have them safely shredded for free. Not only do they do that to help keep us safe from financial fraud but they ask nicely for donations to Barberton Area Community Ministries (BACM) who runs a local food bank. They use the donated money from the shred event to provide meals and food to hungry families in our local community.

Integrity doesn’t stop at one event though, it’s continual service and outreach. The Sharing and Caring Squad goes out in the community and spreads the word and the assistance. The Squad was just at the Barberton Active Adult Center and presented on identity theft and how to protect yourself. They have also been educating students my age by going to Norton and Barberton High Schools and sharing their stories and teaching students what it takes to be financially smart.

Integrity is caring too. They went and met with the outpatient women in a local substance abuse treatment center. They gave loving handouts and supplies to them. The items were for them and also for their kids because beating substance abuse while raising kids is doubly stressful.

Integrity is about taking care of kids. When they support BACM they feed hungry kids. When they collect Toys for Tots, they are making the holidays brighter for kids who would not be getting much. And when Santa shows up to see the kids and gives them a piggy bank, that’s magical.

All of this is a natural part of being a community based non-profit financial center. My credit union was started by local people who shared a common bond to take care of one another and that is still what they do today. The community outreach is important because it shows that Integrity is an active community partner that cares. It advances the mission of Integrity by promoting financial services that helps members achieve personal financial success. When my neighbors and credit union members win financial success, our whole community wins and becomes a better place to live and work.

I can see the community outreach continuing to grow and adapt to the modern ways that society communicates through social media. “Today’s Tip from Tammy the Teller” could easily be a fun way to communicate through Twitter or Instagram and share financial education and credit union information. A day for secure electronic financial clearing of hard drives, phones and tablets could be a future shred day event.

No matter what the future holds though I know that my credit union will be serving the needs of its members and helping through community outreach and will be doing it with Integrity.

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