OU Credit Union is excited to share the success of the 2024 Giving Tree program! Throughout the months of November and December, OU Credit Union members, employees, and community members were able to give back to our communities by purchasing gifts listed on tags in branches, Amazon gift registries, or by donating monetarily.

Donations benefited local families from participating organizations in both Michigan and Illinois. The five Michigan market regions included: Lansing's
Child and Family Charities, Oakland County's Neighborhood House, Grand Rapids' AYA Youth Collective, Detroit's American Indian Health & Family Services, and Traverse City's Women's Resource Center. In Illinois, employees supported eight families with CASA McHenry County and 12 families with Association House of Chicago.

In total, more than $770 and 450 items were donated through Giving Tree. Thank you to everyone who helped make the holidays merry and bright!

In celebration of the Credit Union's 87th anniversary, OU Credit Union employees dedicated the week of November 10 - 16, 2024, to a "Pay It Forward" initiative, spreading kindness throughout our communities. This year's initiative saw OU Credit Union employees contributing a total of $8,700 to communities in Greater Lansing, Southeast Michigan, Grand Rapids, and Traverse City, Michigan.

Credit Union employees performed random acts of kindness at 13 locations across our five Michigan market regions. Over 100 employees attended events and made over 150 fleece blankets for the Greater Lansing Capital Area Humane Society. Employees also personalized 1,300 Pay it Forward cards with encouraging messages. These cards were handed out during surprises and detailed the annual initiative. Other opportunities included meeting with veterans and nursing home residents, surprising Celebration Cinema guests with free concessions, providing museum tickets, helping MSU and OU students on campus, and giving out free bouquets.

This tradition began as part of OU Credit Union's 75th anniversary milestone celebration and Pay It Forward exemplifies our commitment to the core value of Giving Back to the Community.

The Lansing SAVE program's kick-off event, Lansing SAVE Night, took place on Wednesday, November 20 at the Don Johnson Fieldhouse. The event included a video game truck, free pizza, an inflatable obstacle course, informational tables, and more! Lansing SAVE Specialist, Cecilia Sandoval; MSUFCU Vice President of Community Impact, Arianna Ridderbusch; City of Lansing Mayor, Andy Schor; Lansing School District Superintendent, Ben Shuldiner; and Lansing Promise Executive Director, Justin Sheehan spoke. The Everett Dance Company and the Eastern High School Quaker Marching Band performed as well. Each of the 94 students who attended the event had $15 deposited into their Lansing SAVE account at MSUFCU to help them save for their future college or career training expenses.

Lansing SAVE is a children's savings program provided by the City of Lansing, the Lansing School District, and MSUFCU to Lansing School District students in kindergarten through tenth grade. MSUFCU financial educators teach monthly financial literacy lessons and students can make deposits to their savings accounts for post-secondary education.