How Can Our Credit Union Help the Community During a Crisis?

by. Michele Dowis

So the disaster didn’t impact us directly… How can our credit union help the community during a crisis?

Heroes…. It’s not just the firefighters and police officers you hear about being heroes. Sometimes it’s your neighbor, your coworker or a complete stranger. I read an article that highlighted a woman who served soup and burgers to emergency crews at a church mission after Hurricane Katrina. She felt it was wrong that emergency personnel and first responders were working long hours on empty stomachs and pre-packaged meals. Regardless of the hours and the lack of nourishment, these men and women continued to provide assistance to those in danger and in need.

In a separate crisis, Mama Passarelli’s Dinner House’s owner was determined to help more. Passarelli started by providing batches of soup from her restaurant during local disasters. She then used a government grant to purchase a mobile kitchen, pulled together volunteers and took her good deed on the road. Over 20,000 heroes at disaster scenes have been served by the volunteer Soup Ladies (www.soupladies.org). “They see the worst, so they deserve the best,” said Passarelli after the ’07 California wildfires.

We have all been involved in acts of kindness and likely viewed as a hero to someone at some time. The more prepared you are to handle a disaster, the more prepared you can be to help others. What are ways your credit union can reach out to your community during an event?

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