Ohio credit unions feed neighbors in need with statewide food drive

Contact: Katie Walton

Public Relations Manager

Ohio Credit Union League

(614) 336-2894 or (800) 486-2917

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ohio credit unions feed neighbors in need

with third annual Ohio Credit Union Food Drive

Dublin, Ohio (November 22, 2006) – One in eight Ohioans went hungry during the past two years – making Ohio the 13^th hungriest state and the third fastest in growing hunger in the nation.

Three chapters of the Ohio Credit Union League and 27 credit unions across the state collected thousands of pounds of non-perishable food to help restock the depleted shelves of local food pantries and feed community members in need. During October, Ohio’s credit unions collected non-perishable food items and monetary contributions as part of the third annual statewide Ohio Credit Union Food Drive. All donations were given to food pantries and charities in each credit union’s local community.

“Too many Ohioans are forced to make the choice to pay medical and utility bills, rather than buying food for their families,” said Katie Walton, Public Relations Manager for the Ohio Credit Union League. “The Ohio Credit Union Food Drive is an opportunity for Ohio’s credit unions to help their neighbors in need – a manifestation of the credit union movement’s core philosophy of People Helping People.”

The following credit unions participated in the 2006 Ohio Credit Union Food Drive by collecting non-perishable food items and monetary contributions.

AP Federal Credit Union, Toledo

BMI Federal Credit Union, Columbus

Brewster Federal Credit Union, Brewster

Cardinal Community Credit Union, Mentor

Cincinnati Postal Employees Credit Union, Cincinnati

CME Federal Credit Union, Columbus

Credit Union of Ohio, Columbus

DayMet Credit Union, Dayton

Erie Community Federal Credit Union, Sandusky

GenFed Federal Credit Union, Akron

Hancock Federal Credit Union, Findlay

KEMBA Financial Credit Union, Columbus

Med/Pro Federal Credit Union, Akron

Members Choice Credit Union, Greenville

Midwest Community Federal Credit Union, Defiance

Millstream Area Credit Union, Findlay

New Horizon Federal Credit Union, Barberton

Ohio Educational Credit Union, Cleveland

Ohio University Credit Union, Athens

Powerco Credit Union, Gahanna

Seven Seventeen Credit Union, Warren

Sharefax Credit Union, Batavia

Southeastern Ohio Credit Union, Cambridge

Struthers Federal Credit Union, Struthers

TopMark Federal Credit Union, Lima

Tri-County Credit Union, Canfield

Western Credit Union, Columbus

The Northeast, Northwest, and Western Buckeye Chapters of the Ohio Credit Union League, which comprise 76 credit unions, also participated in the Ohio Credit Union Food Drive as groups.

The Ohio Credit Union Food Drive benefited Ohio’s working poor, seniors, veterans, single parent families, children, and others. “Credit unions are locally-owned financial cooperatives which pride themselves in helping people and giving back to their local communities,” said Walton. “By contributing the collected items to local food pantries and charities, each participating credit union has truly helped its neighbors in need.”

“We believe that by supporting food pantries and other charities that provide food services, we are keeping Ohioans from having to make the tough decision between eating and paying bills, and are instead providing opportunities for them to get ahead in life,” said Walton.

Non-perishable food items requested by the local food banks and charities included cereal, tuna, canned fruit and vegetables, infant formula, canned meat, boxed juice, all-in-one meals, and more.

The 2006 Ohio Credit Union Food Drive was conducted as part of International Credit Union Month, an annual celebration of credit unions and the credit union philosophy of People Helping People by the more than 120 million credit union members worldwide.

Credit unions are not-for-profit financial institutions that are owned and democratically controlled by their members. Credit unions provide savings, loans, and other consumer financial services to their members, who enjoy lower loan rates, better rates on savings, and lower fees, and excellent service. For the 21^st year, credit unions topped all other financial institutions in consumer satisfaction ratings in the 2005 American Banker/Gallup Consumer survey. Credit unions led the ratings for staff friendliness and courtesy, speed of loan decisions, deposit rates, and improvements from year-to-year in service quality.