The Credit Union In The Community

As an organization, the Credit Union believes being an active and socially responsible member of the community is the most important role we have.  As part of our ongoing commitment to helping people and improving our community, HUECU participates in a broad range of volunteer efforts and charity programs.  Here are just a few of the activities in which we participated in last year:

• Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless: Ongoing support.
• Credit Union Community Hope Initiative: Spare change canisters are available in all our branch locations to assist in advocating changes to healthcare, housing, and income support programs for Massachusetts Homeless.
• Toys for Tots: 2007 marked the 15th year HUECU participated with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. Starting in 1947, Toys for Tots has grown into a holiday tradition all over the country. New, unwrapped toys were collected during the months of November and December at all 3 HUECU branches. Thanks to the generosity of our members, we were able to donate over 250 toys to children in need.
• Christmas in the City: 2007 also the 4th year HUECU participated in Boston’s Christmas in the City.  Starting in 1989, Christmas in the City has helped families in Boston shelters experience a happy holiday season. This year HUECU helped adopt 250 families.  Employees also volunteered at the annual Christmas party, where over 3,000 homeless children were able to come together and celebrate a memorable holiday.
• Hat and Mitten Drive: Employees made donations of hat and mittens that were donated to the Teen Haven Shelter in Cambridge.
• Children’s Book Drive: Each year members and employees donate children’s books for children in need.  This past April our book drop was the Boys and Girls Club of Somerville.
• Hebert Candy Drive: Candy bars were available for sale in all our branch locations to benefit the Mass Homeless Coalition.  This past year over $800.00 was raised.
• Lee National Denim Day: Employees donned blue jeans and raised over $500.00 in donations to fund early detection and cancer treatment research programs for Breast Cancer. 
• Financial Literacy Programs: Numerous educational programs were developed and presented to members covering a variety of topics such as Student Budgeting, Building Good Credit, Protecting Your Identity, Buying Your First Home, and Creating a Home Budget.
• WGBH Community Drive: This past March marked the credit unions’ 12th year as a corporate sponsor.  Twenty one volunteers associated with HUECU partnered up with Mathworks raising over $34,055 from nearly 330 pledges.
• International Credit Union Study Groups:  HUECU hosted CU executives from Azerbaijan a former Soviet Republic.  Networking across the borders was a positive learning experience for all.  HUECU’s own Director of Marketing  travelled to Azerbaijan this past April to participate in the nation's annual credit union conference.
• Cherry Blossom Run:  Credit Union employees ran this ten mile annual credit union run to benefit the Children’s’ Miracle Network.
• Marathon Sports City Run of Cambridge: Credit Union employees teamed up and took to the streets in support of The Friends of Cambridge Athletics and the Andrea Harvey Memorial Fund.
• FAS Campus Energy Reduction Program: In support of a greener Harvard, HUECU displayed CERtoons (Campus Energy Reduction Cartoons). The creativity displayed a creative way to communicate the awareness of energy use and conservation.