Glendale, AZ (May 29, 2024) |
Credit Union West employees partnered with the CU West CARES Charitable Foundation to donate $9,489.04 to Soldier’s Best Friend, an Arizona-based nonprofit organization dedicated to pairing and training service dogs with eligible veterans at no cost to the veteran.
Soldier’s Best Friend is not only devoted to helping military veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injuries, but they are also committed to rescuing dogs from shelters across the state. Their program pairs veterans with a dog adopted by from a local shelter or with a dog already owned by the veteran. They will live and train together from that point forward.
“Veterans come into our program because they just want to be able to go to their child’s little league game or go to the store, but their trauma prevents them from doing these things,” said Mik Milem, Executive Director of Soldier’s Best Friend. “We are so thankful for this gift and for the continued support from Credit Union West that allows us to impact so many lives.”
This is the first donation from the credit union’s EmployeesCARE Program in 2024 and the largest in the program’s history. The program is funded solely through employee donations and benefits four local, nonprofit organizations each year. The funds for this donation were generously matched dollar for dollar by contributions from the CU West CARES Charitable Foundation and from President and Chief Executive Officer, Karen Roch’s own personal funds.
“At Credit Union West, our military roots run deep so we are proud to support the important work that Soldier’s Best Friend does for the veterans in our community,” Roch said. “The generosity of our employees continues to impress me and with the launch of our CU West CARES Charitable Foundation, their impact can go even further.”
To learn more about Soldier’s Best Friend, visit their website at soldiersbestfriend.org.
