CAPITOLA, Calif.–In its most recent move to be increasingly eco-friendly, Bay Federal Credit Union said it ran a campaign that invited members to switch from paper statements to electronic communications during the summer and raised $9,405 as a result.
The campaign, which offered a chance to win cash prizes, made a $5 donation to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation for each member who opted-in.
Between July and August, 1,881 members made the switch.
“This is a true win-win scenario for the environment and for our members,” said President/CEO Carrie Birkhofer. “All our cost savings, such as paper and postage, are reinvested so we may better serve our members — and the Foundation is doing vital work to help protect this beautiful place we call home.”
As the official nonprofit partner for NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the Foundation said it is dedicated to protecting the long-term health of the Monterey Bay for the two- million residents in five adjacent counties — as well as the millions of tourists who visit the region every year.
“Bay Federal has a long history of community service, and I was thrilled to get to work with them in partnership to protect the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary,” said Ginaia Kelly, Chapter Director for the Foundation. “The importance of training the next generation of marine stewards for our area cannot be understated. The ocean provides more than half the oxygen we breathe. A healthy ocean means a healthy planet. Making sure the ocean is healthy is vital to our species’ survival, really.”
The Foundation also supplies grants for local NOAA college interns and funds wildlife protection, such as rescuing whales from entanglement and endangered black abalone from wildfire repercussions.
Bay Federal ran a similar campaign in 2021, which generated $10,955 for the Foundation, bringing the total amount donated over the past two years to $20,360.
The cash prizes for Bay Federal’s 2022 campaign were $1,000 (grand prize), $500 (second-place), and $100 for five runners-up. Thirty-eight percent of members now receive eStatements.