Credit Union Raised More Than $298,000 in 2024 for Children's Miracle Network and Area Children's Hospitals
TUSTIN, Calif., Feb. 6, 2025 -- SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, the largest credit union in California and the largest serving school employees and their families, today announced that it contributed more than $298,000 in 2024 – through a combination of corporate donations and fundraising – to support Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (CMNH) member hospitals in California, including Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), Rady Children's Hospital – San Diego and UC Davis Children's Hospital.
As a credit union serving California school employees and their families, SchoolsFirst FCU has participated in supporting Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, the charity of choice for credit unions, through partnerships with regional children's hospitals throughout the state. SchoolsFirst FCU also assumed an active role in fundraising initiatives sponsored by Credit Unions for Kids (CU4Kids), the brand under which credit unions nationwide raise funds for CMNH.
"Our partnership with Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, along with the support of thousands of credit unions throughout the United States, provides critical funds for children's hospitals," said Bill Cheney, chief executive officer at SchoolsFirst FCU. "SchoolsFirst FCU Members and team members are passionate about supporting this cause because they see a direct positive impact in their local communities."
During 2024, SchoolsFirst FCU, its Members and team members raised funds for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals through a variety of activities and programs:
Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC)
SchoolsFirst FCU raised funds for CHOC by sponsoring the hospital's annual CHOC Walk in the Park through fundraising activities, corporate matching funds and team member volunteerism. The Credit Union also served as a sponsor for the 2024 CHOC Gala in May and contributed $10,000 to sponsor the distribution of holiday gift bags filled with toys, books and activities to children and families in the hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Mental Health Inpatient Center. SchoolsFirst FCU also conducted a winter campaign in its Orange County branch locations during which Members received CHOC's iconic "Choco Bear" plush toys for donations made to CHOC, as well as visual recognition in the branch through the decorative Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Holiday Bulb icon.
Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA)
For Children's Hospital Los Angeles, SchoolsFirst FCU served as a sponsor of the Giving Tuesday Radiothon, an annual initiative designed to encourage the community to donate and support Children's Hospital Los Angeles on the global day of giving back. The Credit Union also participated in the annual CHLA Walk & Play L.A. event and conducted an in-branch winter fundraising campaign featuring the CMNH Holiday Bulb icon.
Rady Children's Hospital – San Diego
In the San Diego region, as a sponsor of the Rady Children's Hospital Ice Rink at Liberty Station, SchoolsFirst FCU partnered with Rady Children's Hospital and San Diego schools to provide vouchers to school employees for complimentary ice skating at the ice rink, with all net proceeds benefitting the Thriving After Cancer program at the Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Rady Children's Hospital – San Diego. The Credit Union also sponsored an annual in-branch fundraising campaign in the region with the CMNH Holiday Bulb icon serving as the visual centerpiece of the event.
UC Davis Children's Hospital
In Northern California, in addition to its sponsorship of the Credit Union SACTOWN Run in Sacramento, SchoolsFirst FCU sponsored an initiative at the UC Davis Children's Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to gift books donated by the Credit Union to families of NICU patients. In addition, the Credit Union worked with the hospital during its winter campaign where Members received the hospital's iconic "Eclipse Horse" plush toys for donations made to UC Davis Children's Hospital, as well as visual recognition in SchoolsFirst FCU branches through the decorative CMNH Holiday Bulb icon. SchoolsFirst FCU also sponsored the "Play Yellow!" Classic at UC Davis, a program affiliated with the PGA Tour to support Children's Miracle Network Hospitals across the county.
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (CMNH)
At the national level, SchoolsFirst FCU supported and participated in a number of West Coast CU4Kids events in 2024, including the CU4Kids Wine Auction in Laguna Niguel, the Credit Union SACTOWN Run in Sacramento, and the CU4Kids Northwest Classic golf tournament at the Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club outside Portland, Oregon. The Credit Union also sponsored a statewide winter fundraising campaign in all of its branches featuring the CMNH Holiday Bulb icon as the centerpiece of the campaign. SchoolsFirst FCU Chief Executive Officer Bill Cheney serves on the CMNH board of trustees.
About SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union
SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union is the largest credit union serving school employees, and once again Forbes has named SchoolsFirst FCU the top credit union in California. Serving school employees and their families, the organization is dedicated to delivering World-Class Personal Service and improving the financial lives of its Members. Today they serve more than 1.4 million Members with a full range of financial products and services. SchoolsFirst FCU was founded in 1934, when 126 school employees pooled $1,200 and established a Member-owned cooperative to help improve each other's lives. In 2024, the Credit Union reported more than $30 billion in assets and remains the largest credit union in California and the fourth largest credit union in the United States. For more information about SchoolsFirst FCU, visit schoolsfirstfcu.org.
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