We’re looking forward to celebrating how credit unions have spread kindness in 2020 on CU FORWARD Day on Mon. Oct. 12, 2020. 

If your credit union hasn’t determined what participation will look like this year, we’ve compiled virtual and in-person opportunities:

Second Harvest Heartland Food Packing Brooklyn Park:

• Three shifts: October 12 at 9-10:30, 12-1:30 and 2:30-4
• These will be small groups of volunteers with extra precautions in place (screening questions, thermal temp. check, masks required, and gloves given).
• Space is very limited, sign up as soon as possible: https://signup.com/go/bSxHmr

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Virtual Food Drive for Second Harvest Heartland 

• The Network has created a virtual food drive for Second Harvest Heartland to raise funds as a collaborative effort: http://support.2harvest.org/goto/cuforwardday2020

 
HandsOn Twin Cities

• Volunteer “Project in a Box” is a hands-on volunteer project that can be delivered, opened, and completed by your employees wherever they are (office or home). It's a great opportunity for remote workers! Each box contains the supplies and instructions for the individual to complete the volunteer project.  Employees then donate the completed kits to a nonprofit of their choice in their community. 
• Customized Hands-on Projects.  HandsOn delivers full service, hands-on volunteer projects at worksites or out in the community for 25-1000+ participants. These volunteer projects are highly customizable and can be determined by your vision and needs in the community. 

NetGiver App 
The NetGiver platform is available to any credit union that wants to engage members in charitable giving through your credit union on CU FORWARD Day and beyond. 

#CUs4U Challenge
Over the past several months, credit unions have been stepping up to spread kindness to our communities through the #CUs4U challenge – inspiring credit unions to provide meals from local restaurants to workers on the frontlines of the pandemic response. If your credit union branches are remaining open or have limited staffing capabilities, this is a simple way to give back and show support for multiple organizations in one act, over breakfast, lunch or midday snack!
 
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To tell us how your credit unions will participate or if you have any questions about these opportunities, email MnCUN Director of Engagement Ben Hering.

The Minnesota Credit Union Network’s compliance efforts provides assistance to reduce credit unions’ exposure to regulatory penalties, prepare credit unions for visits by regulators and protect the credit union and its members from liabilities that have the potential to affect income, member service, reputation.
 
Resources for Members including recorded webinars and trainings and guides can be accessed at https://www.mncun.org/compliance.html under the Member Resources section of the website.
 
If you are unable to log in or need to set up your credentials, email us info@mncun.org

Last week, over 80 golfers representing Minnesota credit unions and partners participated in the 25th Annual CU 4 Kids Golf Tournament at the Refuge Golf Club in Oak Grove, Minn. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the socially distanced event raised $17,271 and was the only event held this summer to benefit Gillette Children’s Specialty Health Care in St. Paul.
 
The Minnesota CU4Kids Golf Tournament, founded in 1995, supports Children’s Miracle Network/Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare in St. Paul.  Over the years the event has raised over a half-million dollars for the credit union-sponsored cause.
 
For more information and to contribute, visit: https://www.mncun.org/cu4kids.html

As reported this spring, the Minnesota Credit Union Awareness Initiative shifted strategy to focus on how credit unions are supporting their members and communities through the pandemic. This included paid Public Service Announcements on web, social media and radio running throughout Minnesota. On the national level, CUNA paused the digital Open Your Eyes to a Credit Union® ads as of March 20 due to Covid-19. They have since retooled and calibrated the marketing assets, and have released updated ads into market in several states. Minnesota began transitioning our Public Service Announcements in July and have now relaunched the Open Your Eyes to a Credit Union digital assets.
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The targeted digital campaign continues to focus on reaching Minnesota young adults to increase awareness and consideration of credit unions. The tactics include digital display ads and pre-roll video with audience targeting, leveraging contextual category and keyword retargeting; social media ads on Facebook and Instagram targeting Minnesota consumers with financial interests; and Over-the-Top video commercials (such as Netflix, Hulu, etc) targeted with the contextual audience parameters of the digital and social strategies. We continue to monitor results and sentiment to the messages and will be nimble with changes as needed.  

A Minnesota specific consumer poll will be conducted in late August, with results shared with MnCUN members in mid to late September, which will provide further insight into consumer attitudes about credit unions and messages that resonate in the current environment.
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Yourmoneyfurther.com remains live, and credit unions participating financially in the Open Your Eyes to a Credit Union campaign have access to social media tools and an updated messaging guide via the Contributor Headquarters portal.
​With questions about the Awareness Initiative, contact VP Communications & Engagement Andrea Molnau.

The Minnesota Credit Union Employee Benefits Plan is ready to provide health insurance rates for 2021. We’ve added two plan designs to give you more choices and more flexibility.

The Plan began in Q4 2019 by providing a robust array of health insurance offerings to all member credit unions headquartered in Minnesota. In the initial three quarters, the Plan has grown to 15 participating employer groups with over 360 covered employee lives.

We’re pleased to share testimonials from plan participants:

I am writing this letter to let you know how happy we have been since we went with our medical insurance plan through MNCUN. From the start of the process it has gone very smooth. Judy Nordhoff has been a great source of information with any questions that may come up.  She takes the time to walk you through individual scenarios. I look forward to seeing the rates and hope to explore other ancillary services. I highly recommend MN CU Employee Benefits Plan. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

• Mary Lipari, Human Resources, Accentra Credit Union

We have been on the program since January.  I have no complaints and have not had any difficulty getting questions answered when needed.  We are notified monthly when new invoices are ready and are also notified when payments are going to be debited.

• Charlie Yenni, President/CEO, NSP St. Paul Credit Union

Visit our website to learn more about the plan options, provider networks, wellness program and instructions on how to receive a quote. If you have any questions, please contact Tim Tacheny or Tommy Rempfer of the Minnesota Credit Union Network. 

The Minnesota Credit Union Network and NetGiver are kicking off a Covid-19 Relief giving initiative on CU Forward Day 2020. NetGiver is the exclusive-to-credit union mobile app that gives members the power to make impactful, fee-free donations to any 501(c)(3) safely, securely, and easily, directly from their credit union account. Nonprofits are currently sacrificing donations to credit card and platform fees that could instead benefit the communities in which they serve. Imagine the difference credit unions can make.
 
Join us on Thursday, August 20 at 10 a.m. in a discussion around how credit unions might leverage the NetGiver platform to engage members in CU FORWARD Day and beyond. 
The webinar is free and will be recorded, however we do ask that you please register. Please provide us your questions in the registration form. Registered attendees will receive webinar and call-in instructions prior to the session. 
 
With questions, please contact Director of Engagement, Ben Hering, via email or by phone at (612) 239-0026.