One Backpack - Double the Impact!!
In 2017 and 2018, CO-OP teamed up with socially-conscious school supply company Yoobi to bring the Backpack Bundle Drive to credit unions as a way to reach out to local schools and kids with vital supplies and the message of financial wellbeing.
For $1,500, each participating credit union will receive 50 backpacks and supplies to help children kick-off the 2019 school year. Yoobi will further match all school supplies with a donation to the Kids in Need Foundation. CO-OP has also partnered with Money Mammals and the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) to donate a financial literacy kit to the school or organization selected by each participating Credit Union.
“Consumers are increasingly attracted to organizations that engage in the betterment of their local communities,” said Samantha Paxson, Chief Experience Officer for CO-OP. “By participating in programs like the Backpack Bundle Drive, credit unions have yet another way to make a difference in the lives of their neighbors. Best of all, this program enables local contributions to be matched on a national level, multiplying the efforts of credit union staff and members across the country.”
By participating in the campaign, credit unions also help teach kids and families about better money management and fiscal responsibility, as each delivery includes a financial literacy kit from Money Mammals or the National Credit Union Foundation.
CO-OP is proud to partner with the National Credit Union Foundation/Biz Kid$ and Money Mammals to provide the financial literacy kits.
John Lanza, Creator and Chief Mammal for Money Mammals, added: "We so fortunate to be able to help CO-OP and Yoobi bring not only much needed supplies to classrooms, but also our Money Mammals Teaching Kits that get kids excited about money-smart learning and give teachers material to create lessons and make financial literacy learning fun!"
“We are honored to be a part of this important initiative that not only gives students the supplies they need to be successful in the classroom but also the tools they need to be financially successful as well,” said Danielle Brown, Program Director for the National Credit Union Foundation. “We know that when you change a kid’s financial future, you change their life. That’s exactly what Biz Kid$ does and we are excited to partner with CO-OP Financial Services to have a positive impact on so many students!”
Helping Credit Unions Connect with their Community
Here's what participants said about the program:
“Our Leadership Team gravitated to this opportunity almost immediately for the team building aspect, in addition to community assistance opportunity. I am very pleased to have CO-OP as a partner in supporting our mission as a credit union.”
Greg Strizich, president/CEO of Helena, Montana-based Helena Community Credit Union
“We delivered the backpacks and kit today to the school/class that won and had a blast! What a great idea and partnership – keep them coming!”
Scott Rains, President/CEO of Eagle Rock Community Credit Union of Placentia
“It was an amazing feeling to be able to help little ones go back to school with the things they need to be successful.”
Jennie Gylock, marketing supervisor for Escanaba, Michigan-based Peninsula Federal Credit Union
Who is Yoobi?
Yoobi is an innovative school supply company selling kids' stationery, fun office supplies and other school, home and office essentials. Its name, meaning "one for you, one for me," denotes an initiative to match each item sold with a donation to a classroom in need. Find out more on at Yoobi.com.
Our partnership with Yoobi was hatched at THINK 15 when Yoobi founder and THINK keynote speaker Ido Leffler challenged CO-OP and the credit union community to partner up and help kids. Together, CO-OP and Yoobi presents credit unions the opportunity to help students thrive. It’s a simple, no-fuss way to positively impact both local and national communities.
Yoobi has impacted over four million kids
Recent research supported by CO-OP reveals that consumers favor mission-oriented organizations whose community-engagement efforts are naturally consistent with their business purposes. Reinforcing the stature of credit unions as trusted financial resources by promoting financial literacy in your community helps you build a distinctive competitive edge.