JAY – On Oct. 17, credit unions in countries all over the world recognized International Credit Union Day. This year, OTIS Federal Credit Union chose to commemorate the special day by making donations to area school lunch programs and to local heating assistance funds.
OTIS FCU donated a total of $1,200 to help offset student lunch debt within area schools. Each of the six districts falling within the Credit Union’s field of membership received $200 to pay down past-due meal accounts: RSU #73 (Jay-Livermore-Livermore Falls), MSAD #58 (Phillips, Eustis, Avon, Kingfield, Strong), RSU #9 (Farmington, Wilton, Starks, Industry, Chesterville, New Sharon, Weld, Temple, Vienna and New Vineyard), MSAD #52 (Turner, Leeds, Greene), RSU #38 (Wayne, Readfield, Mt Vernon, and Manchester), and RSU #78 (Dallas Plantation, Magalloway Plantation, Rangeley, Rangeley Plantation and Sandy River Plantation).
“Ending hunger in Maine is the signature social responsibility cause championed by Maine’s credit unions,” said Sarah Hayes, Director of Marketing and Communications at OTIS FCU. “The ‘people helping people’ philosophy that credit unions share isn’t just a tagline. It is a mission, a call to action; one that our institution and other credit unions everywhere strive to exemplify every day.”
Donating to the school lunch programs represented another way to combat food insecurity, Hayes said, going beyond the credit union’s participation in the Campaign for Ending Hunger.
“Despite the existence of subsidized lunch programs, there are still many students who unfortunately are falling through the cracks for various reasons,” Hayes said. “With these donations, we hope to lessen a stressful financial burden on area families, and to provide some relief to those who most need it during an especially expensive time of the year.”
In addition to the lunch program donations, OTIS FCU made donations of $200 to both Rural Community Action Ministry’s Heating Fund and the United Way of the Tri-Valley Area’s heating assistance program via The Very Basics Fund.
“International Credit Union Day is a great time to reflect on the cooperative principles that Credit Unions abide by,” said Kim Turner, President/CEO of OTIS FCU. “Concern for Community is one of the most powerful principles because it encompasses not only our membership, but the members of the communities we serve.”
I’m glad to see the OFCU putting this helping hand out there for the lunch program in particular. I’m hoping this means “no child left behind” when it comes to being able to have lunch/breakfast provided at school. It’s never the children’s fault when their lunch tab isn’t paid but in too many schools; they pay the price. Thank you to Otis for their contribution to ending this stamina.