As we celebrate the season of giving, we are reminded of the amazing contributions credit unions make each year to their local communities. Once again in 2022, Co-op Solutions and its partnering credit unions have answered the call to give back, together raising more than $4 million for Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals.
This landmark achievement follows 26 years of Co-op and credit union support for these lifesaving organizations, and nearly 15 years since Co-op established its Miracle Match Program, which provides matching funds to credit unions that conduct fundraisers benefiting their local CMN Hospitals.
This year, Co-op donated $775,000 including matching funds through 52 credit union-sponsored fundraisers and sponsoring several other Credit Unions for Kids (CU4Kids) events. Additional contributions came from Co-op staff payroll donations, the Co-op holiday card, and donations made during Co-op THINK 22 –including the popular #ShadesUpForKids initiative— the Presidents Cup, and other events, bringing the donation total to more than $4 million. This record amount is helping CMN Hospitals deliver its world-class care and support resources, regardless of ability to pay, to millions of children and their families facing dauting healthcare challenges.
“Co-op is a crucial partner to CU4Kids and CMN Hospitals is so grateful for their sponsorships, strategic direction, influence, and all other areas of support”, said Nick Coleman, Director of National Strategic Partnerships, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. “Co-op is a great representation of the entire credit union industry through their innovation, cooperation, and most of all, their generosity. We are deeply appreciative of their leadership.”
Co-op and partnering credit unions have donated more than $44 million to CMN Hospitals, and the movement as a whole is the charity’s fifth-largest donor. Part of the Co-op Purpose philanthropic initiative, the Miracle Match Program offers support for individual credit union fundraisers, while the company also contributes to special industry fundraisers.
“We believe that our entire work product, including our charitable giving, should contribute to uplifting communities,” said Todd Clark, President/CEO, Co-op Solutions. “We are inspired by how our credit union partners step up each year to help their local hospitals make sure sick children receive the treatment they need. This collaborative effort is a true testament to the power of our movement and mission.”
All funds generated through fundraising events and the Miracle Match Program are applied at the local level, with each member hospital selecting how they are used to finance life-saving equipment, education, advanced research, and charitable care. And as CMN Hospital administrators, physicians, and nurses will attest, every dollar donated counts.
To further strengthen ties between Co-op, its clients and CMN Hospitals, two members of Co-op’s management team have been appointed to leadership positions with Credit Unions for Kids: Chief Experience Officer Samantha Paxson is now serving as Advisory Board Vice Chair, and Vice President of Experience Operations Sarah Szilagyi has been named Chair of the organization’s Activation Board.
“The number one reason for financial ruin in the U.S. is medical debt,” said Clark. “Fortunately, the collaboration that continues across credit unions, hospitals and communities nationwide is delivering the gift of health and wellness to children everywhere, without imposing a weighty financial burden on their families during such difficult times. We are honored to be a part of this important cause.”
When credit unions fundraise for their local children’s hospital, they are creating a more financially healthy community. Member hospitals invest charitable funds into programs like Healthy Neighborhoods Healthy Families in Columbus, OH. This program offers job training, support with taxes, legal aid, connections to food banks, and so much more to low-income families. To learn more about Co-op Purpose and the Co-op Miracle Match Program, visit https://www.coop.org/Co-op-Purpose/Miracle-Match.
