CREDIT UNIONS INVITED TO JOIN IN NATIONAL BACK-TO-SCHOOL BACKPACK DRIVE

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. – Now through Sept. 30, 2017, CO-OP Financial Services in partnership with school supply company Yoobi is offering credit unions an opportunity to receive a shipment of backpacks, school supplies and financial literacy resources to help children in their local communities.

Any credit union can participate, regardless of affiliation with CO-OP, and online sign-up is open now.

“Consumers are looking for both social mission and innovation from their financial institutions,” said Todd Clark, President/CEO of CO-OP. “The Credit Union-Yoobi Back-to-School Backpack Drive enables credit unions to not only positively impact their communities, but make an impact nationally as well. It’s been reported often that teachers may spend $500 per year out of their own pockets on school supplies. This program gives credit unions a unique way to address a chronic problem in education.”

For every $1,500 a credit union invests in the program, the cooperative receives 50 backpacks for students in need, along with school supplies for 50 children. Also included in the shipment will be material directing students and parents to financial literacy resources and a financial literacy kit for the recipient organization. CO-OP is partnering with the National Credit Union Foundation and Money Mammals to provide the financial literacy kits.

Credit unions can then engage in staff team-building with a stuffing party for employees to assemble the backpacks, which can be delivered to schools, shelters or other organizations that serve children in their community.

In addition to the local backpack drives, for every backpack and supply set the credit union movement orders as part of the CO-OP program, Yoobi has pledged to donate an equal number of items to high-need elementary schools across the U.S. through the Kids in Need Foundation.

The Credit Union-Yoobi Back to School Backpack Drive is part of CO-OP Purpose, a corporate social responsibility program for credit unions that provides turnkey, impactful community initiatives to help credit unions advance their mission of people helping people. Under the CO-OP Purpose umbrella, CO-OP also offers CO-OP Miracle Match, a $1 million-annually philanthropic matching program that encourages credit unions to hold fundraisers for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.  

About CO-OP Financial Services

CO-OP Financial Services is a payments and financial technology company whose mission is ensuring the success of the credit union movement by serving 3,500 credit unions and 60 million members. CO-OP payments solutions, engagement services and strategic counsel help credit unions optimize member experiences to consistently provide seamless, personalized multi-channel offerings, while delivering secure, sophisticated fraud mitigation service. For more information, visit www.co-opfs.org.

Contact:

Bill Prichard, APR                            

CO-OP Financial Services

800.782.9042, ext. 3450

[email protected]