BECU’s Annual Day of Service: Employees Assemble 25,000 Care Kits... From Home
SEATTLE (October 12, 2020) — Today, nearly 2,400 employees from BECU, one of the country’s largest community credit unions, will participate in its Annual Day of Service remotely, assembling more than 25,000 personal supply kits for nine nonprofit organizations that are helping its communities in Washington and South Carolina.
“Our Annual Day of Service is a chance for employees to connect with each other and demonstrate our commitment to give back to the communities where our members live, work and play,” said Benson Porter, BECU’s president and chief executive officer. “With the pandemic negatively affecting so many people this year, we were inspired to get creative and develop a new approach to help our nonprofit partners in supporting more individuals and families in our communities.”
The credit union outfitted each employee with 10 kits to assemble from home, while also connecting with their work teams digitally through video chat. The kits vary by each partner organization and include personal care, baby items, school supplies or snack packs.
BECU is partnering with nine organizations to distribute kits, including:
- FareStart: Personal care kits and snack packs will support job training programs and individuals in King County experiencing barriers to employment, including poverty, homelessness and a history of incarceration.
- Food Lifeline: Personal care kits will be deployed to food pantry, meal program and shelter partners across 13 counties in Western Washington, reaching hundreds of individuals and families in need.
- Giving Back Packs: Personal care kits will benefit over 1,200 people in Spokane, Washington who are experiencing homelessness and are in need of basic items.
- Housing Hope/HopeWorks: Personal care kits will be given to individuals and families in Snohomish County through its programs focused on helping people attain homeownership.
- One80 Place: Personal care kits will go to the largest homeless service provider in South Carolina’s Lowcountry region to assist families and individuals in need.
- Raising Girls: Personal care kits will be provided to girls in Pierce County and Seattle’s South Sound who do not have access to daily care and hygiene products.
- Tukwila Children’s Foundation: Personal care, baby and school supply kits will be distributed to local families through Impact Public Schools/Puget Sound Elementary, Church by the Side of the Road and Tukwila School District.
- United Way of King County: School supply and personal care kits will be distributed to middle school students and families through the Bellevue School District, NISO Programs and nonprofits like Congregations for the Homeless, The Sophia Way and Mary’s Place.
- Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery: Child supply kits will support Spokane, Washington families in need of basic items such as a toothbrush, socks and a hairbrush.
Traditionally, the credit union’s employees teach financial education to thousands of high school students as part of its Annual Day of Service on Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Since 2015, BECU employees have reached 30,000 students. With most school buildings closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s approach provided employees the opportunity to serve their communities from home.
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About BECU
BECU is federally insured by NCUA. With more than 1.2 million members and more than $22.2 billion in assets, BECU is the largest not-for-profit credit union in Washington and one of the top five financial cooperatives in the country. As a member-owned credit union, BECU is focused on helping increase the financial well-being of its members and communities through better rates, fewer fees, community partnerships and financial education. The credit union currently operates more than 50 locations in Washington and two financial centers in South Carolina. For more information, visit www.becu.org.