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Left to right: Laura Lorette, RSU #73 Food Service Director, OTIS FCU President/CEO Kim Turner, and OTIS FCU Director of Marketing and Communications Sarah Hayes.
International Credit Union Day may have come and gone, but thanks to OTIS FCU, schools and heating assistance programs in their community will experience the benefits of the credit union People Helping People philosophy for weeks to come.
OTIS FCU donated $1,200 to help offset student lunch debt at 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. Those districts include RSU #73, MSAD #58, RSU #9, MSAD #52, RSU #38, and RSU #78.
“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 each of the school lunch programs within our field of membership serves as an additional way for us to combat food insecurity beyond our participation in the Campaign for Ending Hunger, allowing us to make further inroads at the local level. Despite the existence of subsidized lunch programs, there are still many students who unfortunately are falling through the cracks for various reasons. 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 Rural Community Action Ministry’s Heating Fund and the United Way of the Tri-Valley Area’s heating assistance program.
“International Credit Union Day is a great time to reflect on the cooperative principles that credit unions abide by,” said Kim Turner, President/CEO at 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. Food insecurity for all, but especially for children, is real and it isn’t going away. It has to be so hard for parents that don’t know how they will come up with the funds to feed their children, especially during school when they should be thriving, learning as much as they can to set them up for future success. Donating to Rural Community Action Ministry and United Way of the Tri-Valley Area was also an easy decision for us as we understand that the cold nights and days are here and will be here over the next few months. This is a time when those of modest means have to sacrifice in other areas just to make sure they have the fuel they need to stay warm during these difficult months.”