DES MOINES, Iowa–In its 24th year, the Iowa Credit Union Foundation’s Benefit Night Fundraiser, held at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center, raised more than $70,000 in support of their work to empower people and communities to achieve financial well-being.
ICUF Benefit Night is held each year during the Iowa Credit Union Convention. Every dollar raised from ticket purchases, silent auction bids and individual Friend of the Foundation donations, goes to supporting ICUF’s work across the state of Iowa. This year’s event was attended by nearly 300 credit union advocates from the credit union industry, as well as the business community, ICUF said.
“Thank you to those who attended Benefit Night and support the work of the Iowa Credit Union Foundation," said Danielle Gratton, board chair of ICUF. “As our Foundation considers future investments and growing its impact, fundraising efforts such as Benefit Night allow us to invest more into grants, programs and initiatives aimed at serving our mission and supporting credit union members in need.”
During the event, Gratton and ICUF Executive Director Jaimie Miller shared some of the foundation’s work from the past year, as well as recognized two Community Impact Award recipients. The Community Impact Award is presented to individuals within the Iowa credit union movement who have demonstrated outstanding civic and charitable responsibility through volunteerism, advocacy and philanthropy in service toward community-based charitable causes.
This year’s award winners were Dale Owen, CEO of Ascentra Credit Union. and Angela Weekley, Community Inclusion Manager at Veridian Credit Union.
Highlights from the past year shared during the event included:
- ICUF’s investment in co-sponsoring the 2018 United Ways of Iowa ALICE Report;
- Support of 104 Iowa credit union members with emergency disaster grants following tornadoes and flooding;
- Continued support of credit union members through the Warren A. Morrow Memorial Scholarship program, which was doubled to award $11,500 in scholarships; and
- Launch of the ICUF ‘People Helping People’ Financial Coach Program, to assist credit union employees in becoming member advocates who can help members navigate difficult financial situations.
“ICUF’s mission is really to look at the wholistic health of Iowans and their financial well-being,” said Jaimie Miller, executive director, ICUF. “We are able to support Iowans through the generosity of our donors and sponsors, and we have been able to increase our impact each year. Thank you to all who continue to support and give to the mission of ICUF.”