Community Involvement Is an American Value
Americans are generous people who give of their time, talent, and finances to contribute to the communities in which they live, work, and play. Ask any American who volunteers for a cause why they do it and you’ll hear a response like this:
“I’ve been so fortunate. I’ve been given so much; I just want to give back.”
United Financial believes in giving back to the community, too.
Community Involvement
United Financial Credit Union was formed on the principle of cooperation. We believe we’re stronger when we work together for the good of all. That’s why our mission goes beyond financial services and goes beyond our doors. We’re committed to giving back to the community.
United Financial supports local communities in a number of ways. Perhaps you’ve even seen our “Back to the Community” Street Team where you live, work, or play. If not, we encourage you to fill out a Donation Request Form and tell us about a cause you think we should support.
Worthy causes abound, but as big as our hearts are, we aren’t able to support them all. That’s why our focus is on local communities. The organizations and causes you nominate for United Financial’s support must be located in and benefit communities in Bay, Midland, and Saginaw counties.
Guidelines for Giving Back
Because needs and requests for support are many, United Financial asks that you follow some simple guidelines when requesting donations.
- Do use the Donation Request Form, which is on our website. We want to be sure that you give us all the information we need to make a decision.
- Give us at least 30 days prior to your event to review your request. We review all requests at the end of each month, so plan accordingly.
- Make only one request for your organization during a 12-month period. We want to support as many organizations as we can.
Other considerations include these focuses on community involvement:
- United Financial especially wants to support organizations, programs, projects, or events that enrich the lives of youth and/or support education.
United Financial strives to find a good balance between breadth of outreach and a specific focus that will make a difference.
Other Do’s and Don’ts
It’s always difficult to place limitations on requests when you’re committed to community involvement. However, the truth is, we receive more requests than we can help support. So as you consider whether your project or event falls within United Financial’s focus for support, here are some helpful tips to follow:
- Because school field trips and sporting programs typically have other avenues for funding, we want to support other kinds of educational projects or events.
- We are committed to reaching youth through programs or projects. While we support programs, we do not help fund administrative expenses.
- Although political and legislative actions can serve the cause of youth and education, those projects are beyond United Financial’s scope.
- Because our focus is on local communities, fundraising for individuals is outside our focus.
With those limitations in mind, you still have many projects, activities, and events that you can nominate for United Financial’s support. And even though those projects and events must take place in one of United Financial’s branch communities, you still have many opportunities to give back.
Samples of Support
United Financial’s community involvement is too broad to list in entirety, but these are a few samples of the people, places, and organizations we have supported.
- From the Auburn Corn Fest to the Freeland Walleye Fest to Saginaw Spirit Adopt-a-School, United Financial supports communities throughout the Tri-County area.
- From the American Cancer Society to Habitat for Humanity, we support the health and well-being of our local communities.
- And from Junior Achievement to Child & Family Services, we especially want to support our youth.
Visit our Back to the Community page to learn more and find out where else United Financial has given back to communities.
Help United Financial Support Local Communities
How does United Financial support all those causes? When you see branded items for sale or delicious baked goods in our branch offices, you know your purchase is going to support community involvement. Proceeds from our fundraising efforts are funneled “Back to the Community.”
We’re confident that you have great ideas and great causes to support in your local community! We invite you to visit our Back to the Community page for more information and ideas or talk to a United Financial representative.