PLANO, Texas—Although CUs near the Gulf shouldn’t take another big punch from Tropical Storm Harvey, it’s still too soon to say recovery efforts are fully underway.
“While we hope this crisis is beginning to abate from a weather standpoint, having experience with flooding crises in the past, I would hesitate to say that this is the end of the assault as we expect weather—and flooding-related events—will continue for the next few days,” said Jon Gorman, senior vice president communications and outreach for the Cornerstone CU League.
What the league is certain about, said Gorman is that assessment of damages and recovery is going to be a “very long road for the credit unions and their staff and volunteers in the affected areas, and Cornerstone and countless system partners are positioned to be there with them every step of the way.”
Gorman told CUToday.info that several more CUs were reopening Wednesday. However, most of those reopenings are limited, he said.
“There are still concerns around security,” he said. “If the credit union can’t open the branch entirely they are opening drive-throughs.”
600 Offices Affected
Cornerstone stated that staff are monitoring 198 credit unions in the Hurricane- and flood-affected areas, or areas that could potentially be affected. This includes all credit unions regardless of their membership with Cornerstone as well as branches of associate-eligible credit unions (main credit union office resides outside the Cornerstone region).
The league estimates that roughly 600 branches in the affected areas, including the following counties: Bee, Brazoria, Calhoun, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Hardin, Harris, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jim Wells, Kleberg, Lavaca, Liberty, Matagorda, Nueces, Orange, Refugio, San Patricio, Victoria, Walker, Waller, and Wharton.
There are an estimated 6,000 employees and volunteers that Cornerstone is prepared to offer support to as a result of CU Aid and the Cornerstone Credit Union Foundation’s disaster relief grants. Additionally, Cornerstone is offering support to its own Houston-based staff who have been affected by the tragedy.
Cooperative Spirit Rises To Top
“While we never want to live through a natural disaster of this magnitude, the cooperative spirit of credit unions always rises to the top. I thought I knew what 'people helping people' meant, but this week, I've been schooled,” said Cornerstone Credit Union League President/CEO Caroline Willard. “It’s been an amazing experience to be a part of the Cornerstone Credit Union League and be able to see a staff offer 24-hour support to credit unions, hear the amazing stories of credit unions working together and sharing information and resources to lift up the industry as a whole, and at the same time see the national outpouring of offers to assist.
“Cornerstone’s disaster response team is working around the clock to determine the needs of affected credit unions, while managing offers of assistance to those in need,” continued Willard. “Cornerstone staff is incredibly grateful to those from across the country that have already offered to help. We know that in the coming days and weeks, credit unions in affected-areas will begin to have a better understanding of their needs as they assess damage to offices and the needs of members.
“This is an amazing system in which we find ourselves. We are working closely with national partners like CUNA, CUNA Mutual Group, the National Credit Union Foundation, and the NCUA. We are also learning of the cooperative support from system partners like CO-OP Financial Services, Catalyst Corporate FCU, and CU South; as well as friends of the credit union system like Bo McDonald with Your Marketing Co., and credit union consultant and personal friend Ondine Irving,” added Willard.
Best Ways for Credit Unions Across the Country to Provide Assistance
- Donate to CU Aid (https://secure2.convio.net/ncuf/site/Donation2…<https://secure2.convio.net/ncuf/site/Donation2%E2%80%A6>)
- Donate to the Cornerstone Foundation, which will provide direct disaster relief assistance to credit union staff and volunteers (https://www.cscuf.coop/make_a_donation.html)
- If you have a specific resources you can make available to support business continuity or recovery efforts of credit unions, email DisasterNotification@cornerstoneleague.coop<mailto:DisasterNotification@cornerstoneleague.coop>.
- The league is also asking credit unions in unaffected areas to support evacuees and displaced humans (and their pets) through Cornerstone's Credit Unions Care community engagement initiative (http://www.cornerstoneleague.coop/cus_care.html).