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CU FORWARD Day 2023Join the Minnesota Credit Union Network and partners for another year of spreading kindness on CU Forward Day 2023, Monday, October 9! This year, the kindness day initiative will include partner organizations, increased volunteer opportunities, and further ways to participate and demonstrate the "people helping people" philosophy.
Please register to confirm your credit union's interest and/or participation in CU Forward Day 2023. Kindness day coordinators will receive communications regarding informational kickoff webinar and planning meetings on Wednesday, July 19 at 10am. CU Forward Day coordinators, credit union leadership and staff are all welcome to join as planning commences. With questions, please contact Director of Engagement, Xiong Lee, via email or by phone at (612) 802-7695. |

CU FORWARD Day 2022
CU Forward Day 2022 had a record participation with 66 credit unions and partnering organizations with over 3,000 employees volunteering 13,000 hours across the state. Participating credit unions and partners donated and spent $300,000 to spread kindness as part of the one-day initiative.
CU Forward Day – held annually on the second Monday in October, is a Minnesota state-wide initiative of credit unions employees, members and partners coming together to do one simple thing – spread kindness.
Minnesota Credit Unions are not-for-profit financial cooperatives and are locally owned and operated for the benefit of the members they serve. Guided by the “people helping people” philosophy, credit unions put members and communities first. This annual event spans every part of the state uniting credit unions and their communities in acts of service and kindness
Examples of service projects for the day included:
- Volunteering and fundraising for local nonprofits like Second Harvest Heartland, Hands On Twin Cities, Open Arms Minnesota, Sanneh Foundation, Keystone Community Services and many more.
- Projects to support people experiencing homelessness and address food insecurity in locations across Minnesota.
- Providing lunch to first responders.
- Park and yard cleanup projects.
- Many simply performing random acts of kindness in their communities like buying coffee for strangers, grocery shopping or handing out gas cards.
In 2013, Saint Paul-based credit union, Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union, hosted their first organization-wide Plus It Forward Day. A play on “pay it forward”, the Plus It Forward concept grew out of an employee-driven idea of what it meant to be a part of the community, to give back and how credit unions could randomly spread kindness.
In a response to the growing cooperative nature of the event, the Minnesota Credit Union Network assumed the coordination of credit union participation, tracking and media efforts going forward under the umbrella name CU Forward Day starting in 2017. Since the inception of CU Forward Day, the concept has continued to evolve with kindness days growing in states across the country. In 2019, the Illinois Credit Union League began CU Kind with credit unions in their state. Michigan Credit Union League followed suit and launched CU Kind this year. In total, more than 200 credit unions participated in giving back on Monday, October 10 this year. |
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CU FORWARD® represents credit unions of all sizes commitment to give back to their communities in a cooperative effort through promoting:
- volunteering opportunities,
- fundraising events, and
- participating in community service projects.
2022 Participants
*new this year!
Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union
Altra Federal Credit Union Anoka Hennepin Credit Union Associated Healthcare Credit Union Association for Black Economic Power (ABEP) Baxter Credit Union (BCU) Brainerd B.N. Credit Union Case Financial Catholic United Financial Credit Union* Centricity Credit Union City & County Credit Union Co-op Credit Union of Montevideo Crow Wing Power Credit Union* CUltivate Exodus Lending* Embarrass Vermillion Federal Credit Union Federated Employees Credit Union* Financial One Credit Union First Alliance Credit Union First Community Credit Union FIRST PACE Credit Union Great River Federal Credit Union Heartland Credit Union Hiway Credit Union Home Town Credit Union Ideal Credit Union Latvian Credit Union* Magnifi Financial Credit Union Mayo Employees Federal Credit Union Members Cooperative Credit Union Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union Minnco Credit Union Minnesota Credit Union Network |
Minnesota Power Employees Credit Union
Minnesota Valley Credit Union Mower County Employees Credit Union* NetGiver App North Memorial Federal Credit Union North Star Credit Union Northern Communities Credit Union NorthRidge Community Credit Union Northwoods Credit Union Novation Credit Union NSP - Saint Paul Credit Union Red Wing Credit Union Riverview Credit Union Royal Credit Union SharePoint Federal Credit Union South Metro Federal Credit Union SouthPoint Financial Credit Union SPIRE Credit Union St. Cloud Financial Credit Union Star Choice Credit Union Strategic Resource Management (SRM)* Teamsters Credit Union TopLine Federal Credit Union Toro Employees Federal Credit Union* Transit Operations Federal Credit Union TriVerity & The Loan Service Center TruLync, Inc. TruStone Financial Credit Union United Financials Making a Difference Unity One Credit Union Virginia Co-op Credit Union Wakota Federal Credit Union Wings Financial Credit Union |