Be the umbrella
For almost five years, I’ve been urging credit unions to deliver meaningful help to millions of members struggling with the financial catastrophe of cancer, the second-leading cause of death in America and arguably the most expensive disease any of us will face.
I’m excited to celebrate two major advances in this cause:
Created by Jed Meyer at St. Cloud Financial Credit Union and led by LeAnn Case, TriUnity provides grants of $2,500 and $10,000 to patients across America with cancer and other terminal illnesses.
Through the generosity of Altra FCU, Mazuma CU, SharePoint CU, and the Cornerstone Foundation, TriUnity has granted $50,000 to 11 patients recently.
Read Meant to Be to discover how a TriUnity grant is helping Chad and Becky endure the hardest season of the lives.
This growing national alliance of credit unions—New Orleans Firemen’s Federal Credit Union, Community Financial Credit Union, Holy Family Memorial Credit Union, and Enbright Credit Union (and, hopefully soon, yours)—provides consumer debt relief, financial counseling, and economic assistance to members and families in cancer-related financial distress.
Credit unions in the LIFE OVER DEBT alliance will tell unique and powerful stories of how they surprised struggling members facing the greatest threats to their lives and livelihoods … stories that no other financial institution can tell, stories that will resonate from Main Street to Capitol Hill.
We’ve already had some early successes:
- NOFFCU paused loan payments for 12 months for a member suffering from a rare blood cancer, an intervention that saved her $7,000 and improved her financial wellbeing by 250%.
- CFCU paused loan payments for 6 months for a member in financial distress from 2 different cancers and facing eviction at the end of the month. That pause, along with the $100 gas card CFCU gifted, drew tears of gratitude from a member who can better access and afford life-saving treatment.
- Medical researchers are working on grant funding to study the effects of LIFE OVER DEBT on the physical, emotional, and financial wellbeing of members who’ve been helped by it.
Momentum is building on the best work I’ll ever do, for and with some of the best people I’ve ever known.
Which brings me to this article’s title.
Many of us are familiar with Umbrella Man, the original symbol of our movement commissioned in the late 1920s by industry pioneer Roy Bergengren. It’s enjoyed a renaissance of late, thanks to ServiStar Consulting and credit union legend Nanci Wilson, VP – Member Solutions at Luminate.
When pressed on what exactly is pouring down on Umbrella Man, most folks will say rain.
The storm is actually words: hard times, sickness, financial distress.
And cancer is one of the worst storms our members will ever face.
Join LIFE OVER DEBT. Support the TriUnity Foundation. Be the umbrella.
