Community involvement is a big part of the credit union philosophy of “People Helping People.” At Discovery FCU, we care very strongly about helping out in the Berks County community. Here are some examples of the ways we get involved.
Helping Harvest Food Bank
The Discovery FCU Team was proud to spend time volunteering at Helping Harvest Food Bank in observance of CU Kind Day! Thankfully we look great in orange and yellow. 🦋
We joined credit unions across the nation in giving back to the communities that help make us who we are on October 9, 2023. Watch a quick video here.
Community Appreciation Day
Discovery Federal Credit Union hosted a community appreciation celebration on July 28, 2023 at their headquarters in Wyomissing. The focus was on local charitable organizations, but everyone got in on the fun. Over 450 people showed up for the event where they enjoyed ice cream from Mister Softee, hot dogs, and prizes. One girl said, “This is the best day ever!”
Beyond the usual fun, community members supported local nonprofits. The credit union offered up donations to the member’s choice of four charitable organizations for each new account opened. The organizations featured were the Animal Rescue League of Berks County, Breast Cancer Support Services of Berks, Children’s Alopecia Project, and Helping Harvest Food Bank. The program resulted in $400 worth of donations. The credit union also held a food drive for Helping Harvest Food Bank, which resulted in several boxes of food for the organization’s Weekender program.
Read more here.
Breast Cancer Support Services
Discovery FCU is a huge supporter of Breast Cancer Support Services of Berks County (BCSS). Our staff cares deeply about this cause, as many have been touched by breast cancer and they are motivated to help in any way they can.
Annually we sponsor the Team Holly Hear Our Voices Run/Walk and the Pink Passion for Fashion event.
This October, we also took the whole month to fundraise and spread awareness for BCSS. The idea for Discovery Federal Credit Union’s October celebration was spawned from wanting to think outside of the box for International Credit Union Day on October 19. Instead of the usual activities, we decided to focus on the “People Helping People” aspect of credit unions and invite a community partner into the branch to talk to our members. With it being Breast Cancer Awareness month, we immediately thought of BCSS.
One day was simply not enough time to celebrate our partnership with this essential local organization. We expanded festivities with a “Paint the Branch Pink” initiative, selling pink butterflies for a $1 donation. We also had staff wear special pink t-shirts on Fridays and asked them to make a donation in order to wear sneakers on Fridays. In total, the credit union raised $400 in October for this excellent cause. Read more here.
Trick-or-Treating for Opportunity House
Team members from Discovery FCU were thrilled to be invited to the Second Street Learning and Technology Center at Opportunity House to hand out candy to the students who wore the cutest Halloween costumes. (For their privacy, we didn’t get any photos of them, but rest assured, they were the cutest!) We’re so happy to have been a special part of their day and the Halloween season.
Financial Reality Fairs
Financial literacy is an important topic for us at Discovery FCU. One way we help to spread this important set of skills in Berks County is through joining with other credit unions to provide Financial Reality Fairs at local schools.
At a Financial Reality Fair, students are given budget sheets with a salary, credit score, and balances in checking and savings accounts. These numbers vary depending on the type of degree a student chooses. Students are required to visit booths for necessary expenses like housing, transportation, food, clothing, internet, and more. They also have the choice to add on a gym membership or visit the salon. Every student visits the wheel of reality where they may have to pay an unexpected bill or receive a deposit from something like a gift from grandma. After visiting all of the booths and the wheel of reality, students must calculate their monthly spending. If they are over budget, they must go back to the different booths and make smarter choices or get a part-time job.
In the 2022/2023 school year, Discovery helped out at Berks County Financial Reality Fairs at high schools in Wyomissing, Governor Mifflin, Tulpehocken, Hamburg, Schuylkill Valley, and Conrad Weiser school districts. All combined, we helped over a thousand students prepare for their future.
The 2023/2024 school year has just started up and we have already been to Wyomissing High School. We look forward to another great year of these amazing events.
Get MORE local love with Discovery FCU.