CU Aid Still Accepting Donations to Help Credit Union Employees Recover from Hurricane Ike

Letters of Gratitude Pour in from Hurricane Survivors

“You will never know what this meant to my family.” …. “It is so gratifying to know that I work for such an incredible industry.” … “We didn’t know what we were going to do with no food or power. Your check helped us through our time of need. May God Bless You.”…. “What an example of the 'people helping people' philosophy. You gave us some hope.”

These are just some of the heartfelt words that disaster relief grant recipients have expressed in thank you letters and e-mails to the Texas Credit Union Foundation (TCUF).

Nearly 900 individuals and their families have received disaster relief grants from TCUF totaling nearly $500,000. These grants have been made possible thanks to widespread donations by credit unions, leagues, service corporations, business partners, the National Credit Union Foundation, and individuals from Texas and throughout the country.

Another key to the Hurricane Ike relief effort is this CU Aid tool. 100% of donations through this website are wired to the state credit union foundation to fund disaster relief grants to credit union employees.

“While they have bravely (and in most cases, happily) returned to work, many of the dedicated employees continue to live in shelters, with relatives or friends, or temporary housing such as trailers and RV’s," reports TCUF Executive Director Jill Pharr. "Yet despite the devastating losses, they are persevering on with hope and optimism. Why? Because the rest of our credit union family, in Texas, throughout the country and even in Jamaica, have been there to reach out a helping hand.”

The Foundation will continue to raise funds in anticipation of longer-term needs of those most severely affected.

“We plan to respond with a Phase II grant process by the end of the year,” says Pharr. “Based on the experiences of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, we know that recovery issues will continue to emerge.  We will make every effort to assist, thanks to the incredible response by the credit union movement.”

- Sources: Lone Star Leaguer, Texas Credit Union League

Texas CUL on site at disaster location, more funds needed Source: CUNA News Now

Ike destroyed CUs branches, but not its spirit - Source: CUNA News Now

Dozens of CU employees' homes were destroyed by Ike - Source: CUNA News Now

A Message from Dick Ensweiler, CEO, Texas Credit Union League:

Your Credit Union Family Needs Your Support
Their homes have been wiped out; material possessions lost; futures uncertain; yet they still muster the strength and courage to report to work every day. They are tellers, member service representatives, loan officers, managers, CEOs and volunteers; and they are victims of Hurricane Ike.

Scarlett Garsea of Neches Federal Credit Union in Port Neches is one of the lucky ones. Her home was spared. A loss of power, she said, is nothing compared to the hardships several of her frontline staff are experiencing. Three of her employees lived in Bridge City, an area hit hard by Ike. One of them is a newlywed. She and her husband were just starting to build a life together. Now they have nothing to go home to. They lost everything.

Several employees at Beaumont-based Mobiloil Federal Credit Union are in the same predicament, including CEO Kim Heinze, who is living in an apartment with no power because her home took in about five feet of water. But Kim doesn’t like to talk about her own situation. Her concerns are for her employees. A number of them called Bridge City home. Their homes today are considered uninhabitable. They have been allowed to enter Bridge City to assess the damage to their property, but aren’t allowed to stay. Instead, they have taken refuge with family and friends.

Mobiloil Federal Credit Union employs around 100 people. Kim says about one-third of the staff have reported back to work. If that doesn’t illustrate the character of folks we have serving in our movement, I don’t know what does.

Hurricane Ike has devastated Southeast Texas. Yet the dedicated and committed people who serve credit unions in the affected area -- colleagues, friends, and credit union family -- have put their own personal hardships aside so that they can be there to help their members.

I implore upon you to open your hearts to them. Let them know that they are not alone, and that the credit union community embraces them.

Thank you.

Photo Credit: Sharon Steinmann, Houston Chronicle

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Harahan, Louisiana - Hurricane Ike and Hurricane Gustav have caused 14 Louisiana parishes to be declared disaster areas. The Louisiana Credit Union League is receiving reports from credit unions in these parishes that several more credit union employees have lost everything.

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Texas credit union employees affected by Hurricane Ike can download this form to apply for an emergency relief grant.

Louisiana credit union employees affected by the Gulf Coast Hurricanes can download this form to apply for a relief grant.

CU Aid Completes $133,000 in Grants to California Wildfire Victims

"Loyal Credit Union Members for Life!"

San Diego, California - Credit union members who lost their homes in Southern California wildfires are receiving grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 through CU Aid—the centralized disaster relief fund-raising system activated during the fires by the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) and the California Credit Union League.

In an emotional video produced by the California League, several of the wildfire victims who received grants thanked everyone who donated to help them.

“This is unbelievable!” said Great American Credit Union member September Katje of the CU Aid grant program, which was made possible by donations to the NCUF Disaster Relief Fund. She found out soon after the fires that she was pregnant with the couple’s third child. “This (disaster relief) will definitely help in getting on with our lives.”

The Katje family (pictured here in the center), who lived in a mobile home in Fallbrook, Calif., recalled taking a bag of clothes for each family member, with just a few photos and videos once they received the word to evacuate. They thought they would soon return to their home. But, their home was one of hundreds in the area completely destroyed. “There was nothing left to save,” father Daniel Katje recalled. “Everything was completely melted. It was very shocking.”

Great American Credit Union member Jacqui Olmos and her 16-year-old daughter, former residents of Ramona, Calif., also lost everything. “Everything burned. Everything was ash. It was all gone,” Olmos recalled.

Olmos called the support she has received—including the grant from CU Aid—a blessing. “I have insurance and there are other organizations that have helped, but it isn’t enough, unfortunately. This (grant) is proof that there’s sunshine behind all the shadows.”

Former NCUF Chairman Mary Cunningham, CEO of USA Federal Credit Union in San Diego, volunteered to help present grant checks. Cunningham found that thanks to CU Aid, grant recipients now “realize they are part of a larger credit union community. They will be loyal credit union members for life!”

Cunningham saw first-hand that donating through CU Aid “is a good thing to do and a good thing to be a part of. I would like to thank every single member who has given to this fund.”

Thanks to the generosity of CU Aid donors, grant dollars are still available for credit union employees, volunteers and members who suffered unrecoverable losses from tornadoes in the south and wildfires in the west.

NCUF, state credit union foundations and leagues are encouraging credit union supporters to donate now to prepare in advance of the next disaster.

Donations from Texas and 48 other states will be dedicated to helping credit union people in Texas recover from Hurricane Ike as the needs persist.

Donations from Louisiana will be dedicated to helping credit union people in Louisiana recover from Hurricanes Gustav & Ike as long as the needs persist.

Hurricane Ike Online Donations Soar to $147,000 from 71 organizations in 24 states. The $2,000 - $25,000 donors are listed here...
$25,000 - Keesler FCU
$10,000 - Merck Employees FCU
$10,000 - SchoolsFirst FCU
$ 5,000 - Altura CU
$ 5,000 - California League Services Corp.
$ 5,000 - HawaiiUSA FCU
$ 5,000 - Louisiana CUL
$ 5,000 - Ohio CU Foundation
$ 5,000 - World Council of CUs
$ 4,000 - Pacific Service CU
$ 3,500 - Washington CU Foundation
$ 3,000 - Florida CU Foundation
$ 2,500 - City County CU
$ 2,500 - EECU
$ 2,000 - Canyon State CU
$ 2,000 - Deepwater Industries FCU
$ 2,000 - Illinois CU Foundation
$ 2,000 - New Orleans Firemen's FCU
$ 2,000 - Pennsylvania CU Association
$ 2,000 - Pennsylvania CU Foundation