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For Immediate Release Contact: Patrick Harris Director of Media Relations Ohio Credit Union League pharris@ohiocul.org 800-486-2917

Ohio Foundation Celebrates $1 Million in Grants to Credit Unions

Ten year anniversary celebration coincides with major funding milestone

Dublin, Ohio (June 11, 2008) –Ten years after it began fundraising, the Ohio Credit Union Foundation (OCUF) is praising its supporters, donors, and grant applicants and recipients as a recent grant brought the total amount of funds awarded to more than $1 million. Thanks to the efforts of OCUF trustees through the years, credit union outreach programs, financial education, professional development and disaster relief initiatives have been overwhelmingly supported, assisting hundreds of credit unions, their members, and communities.

“This is a special milestone that reflects positively on the value-driven mindset and giving nature of credit unions in Ohio,” said Kathy Kanipe, CEO of Parish FCU and Chair of the OCUF Board of Trustees. “The Foundation will continue its great work, supported by its board members and hundreds of generous donors, and I see no reason why we will not be celebrating a similar milestone in another 10 years, if not sooner.”

The grant that eclipsed the $1 million mark was awarded in early 2008 to Chivaho Credit Union of Chillicothe, Ohio. Chivaho CU’s CEO, Laura Roberts, applied for the grant to assist her with the third year of tuition for CUNA Management School. The Foundation grants also assisted Roberts with her two previous years of management school and she will receive her diploma this summer.  

OCUF was incorporated in 1997 and began grant making in 1998 to support individual credit unions’ education and outreach initiatives that promote financial independence. As the philanthropic arm of the Ohio Credit Union System, OCUF is active in and dedicated to five major values.

1)    Promoting financial education to benefit credit union members, Ohio students, and the public.

2)    Helping credit unions implement programs within their communities that fulfill their social responsibility to make financial services affordable and accessible to all members.

3)    Providing professional development grants to assist credit union employees and volunteer leaders.

4)    Offering financial relief to credit unions, their employees, members, and their communities in the wake of natural disasters.

5)    Empowering people to improve their financial well-being, based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, and equity.

The Ohio Credit Union Foundation also supports national credit union efforts and is the third largest contributor to the Biz Kid$ television program.  In 2007, the foundation provided $10,000 to the National Credit Union Foundation to assist California wildfire victims and $5,000 to the World Council of Credit Unions for earthquake relief in Peru.

The 2008 fundraising goal for OCUF is $280,000, a nearly 60 percent increase in funding when compared to the initial fundraising total of $167,000 in 1998.  OCUF plans to award $250,000 in grants in 2008.  For more information about OCUF, including how to give, visit www.ohiocreditunionfoundation.org.

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The Ohio Credit Union League, with offices in Dublin, is a state trade association representing 438 credit unions. Credit unions are not-for-profit financial institutions owned and democratically controlled by their members. Ohio credit unions provide savings, loans, and other consumer financial services to their 2.6 million members. To learn more, visit www.OhioCreditUnions.org.