Illinois Credit Union League CU Kind® Day Supports Local Organizations

​A record-breaking eighty-eight Illinois credit unions and partners joined forces with the Illinois Credit Union League (ICUL) on October 9 for the 5th anniversary of CU Kind Day, a state-wide initiative to spread kindness. Demonstrating the shared core value of “people helping people,” the Illinois credit union movement united together to give back to their respective communities.

CU Kind Day united 2,700 credit union volunteers under a shared mission to empower their communities. Together, they supported 203 community organizations in Illinois and generated more than $81,000 in goods and donations. Efforts included monetary donations, food drives, donating needed goods and clothes, volunteering at local organizations, donating classroom needs, supporting local shelters, delivering care packages and much more.
 
“Every year we’ve seen more excitement and engagement with CU Kind Day, including new and creative ways our credit unions choose to celebrate this day,” said ICUL’s President, Tom Kane. “This day of kindness and outreach demonstrates how connected credit unions are with their communities and how they understand local needs. This day has an incredible philanthropic impact and serves as a reminder that local credit unions care about the financial well-being of everyone, whether or not they are a member.”

​ICUL launched CU Kind Day in 2019 to spread kindness and generate awareness for the good work credit unions do in their communities and for their members. Modeled after the Minnesota Credit Union Network’s (MNCUN) CU Forward Day, ICUL and MNCUN have continued to pay it forward by extending assistance and guidance to other state leagues interested in starting their own “kindness” day. As a result, leagues and credit unions from eight states across the country united on October 9 to spread kindness, including Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
 
“We work in a service-minded, people-focused, cooperative industry, and because of that, beautiful opportunities like this are possible,” said Staci Hering, ICUL’s Director of Culture and Engagement. “There is nothing more uplifting than working collaboratively across the country with our league neighbors to showcase how credit unions celebrate kindness and put their communities first. That mindset is one of the most special things about this movement and assisting other states in launching their ‘credit union kindness’ days is simply an example of our cooperative principles in action.”
 
To learn more about CU Kind, please visit www.icul.com/cu-kind.

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