Redwood Credit Union inspires hope by supporting foster youth

On Monday, October 13, while most financial institutions observed a federal holiday, RCU continued its tradition of dedicating the day to making meaningful change through its biennial Day of Impact. This year, RCU partnered with Foster Love, with about 1,000 RCU employees assembling nearly 4,000 care bags and birthday boxes – enough for every foster youth in San Francisco and the North Bay counties RCU serves.

“We are passionate about advancing meaningful and sustainable change to ensure current and future generations are strong, resilient, and continue to thrive,” said Brett Martinez, President and CEO of Redwood Credit Union. “This event brings our team together in a shared purpose, connecting each person to something bigger than themselves.”

These gifts are more than supplies. They provide compassion during one of the most vulnerable moments in these children’s lives. When children enter foster care, they must quickly pack up their belongings (often into a provided trash bag) and begin a difficult journey into unfamiliar surroundings.  Over 60 percent of children in foster care arrive with nothing but the clothes on their backs, according to Foster Love.

Foster Love Executive Director Gianna Mulkay said this year’s DOI event was one of the organization’s largest-ever corporate events.

“RCU’s commitment to children in foster care is not only inspiring, it’s a benchmark-setting example of what community-driven impact can look like,” she said. “It’s just one example of how RCU’s impact spans from local neighborhoods to broader communities across California and beyond.”

All resources from this year’s Day of Impact will be donated to agencies and nonprofit organizations who will directly place them in the hands of foster children and families in San Francisco, Sonoma, Marin, Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties.

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