PORTLAND, Ore.– Unitus Community Credit Union has been awarded two awards for its philanthropic efforts. The credit union earned the Oregon state-level Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Award and the Louise Herring Philosophy in Action Award at the GoWest Association’s MAXX Award Ceremony.
Unitus earned the Maxwell award for its support of the AWARE Food Bak in Woodburn. The credit union’s support includes donating funds to assist with the rebuilding and restocking of the facility after an arson, providing funding for an outreach coordinator to deliver food to farmworkers who need assistance, and donating hundreds of rain jackets for farmworkers who work outside during the rainy season.
“We are proud to support AWARE Food Bank and the people it serves,” said Steven Stapp, president and CEO of Unitus Community Credit Union. “One in five Oregonians experiences food insecurity. No one should have to make a choice between eating and paying rent. AWARE helps fill the gap for thousands of people, so they don’t have to make that choice.”
Unitus earned the Louise Herring Philosophy in Action Award for its work with the Hispanic community.
Through intentional efforts ranging from hiring more bilingual and bicultural staff to selecting inclusive community partners, Unitus said it is focused on reaching members of the community who have been underserved by traditional financial institutions.
“We are truly honored to be recognized for our inclusive financial practices,” said Aimee Berg,
community development manager at Unitus. “From providing loans to members with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to dedicating 30% of our giving funds to communities of color, Unitus is making a positive impact in our Hispanic and immigrant communities.”
For the past 12 years, Unitus noted it has been named a “Top 10 Corporate Philanthropist” in the Portland metro area by the Portland Business Journal.