Impact Report 2018 LMCU in the Community
Letter from Sandy, our President/CEO In 2018, Lake Michigan Credit Union celebrated its 85th year in business. We have grown from a handful of teachers operating out of a home in Grand Rapids, to a nationally recognized credit union operating throughout Michigan and Southwest Florida. In addition to providing financial services, we recognize the importance of giving back to our communities. Our organization continues to prioritize opportunities to contribute finances, time, and support through community efforts focused in the areas of education, health, and housing. These efforts are not limited to our organizational support, as they rely on the individual contributions of each of our staff members. As we move forward and grow, our dedication to philanthropy and volunteerism will remain an important focus in both Michigan and Southwest Florida. Throughout this report, you’ll learn about the wide-ranging impact of our efforts and our vision for the future. It is our privilege to give back to the communities in which we serve.
Sandy Jelinski President/CEO Lake Michigan Credit Union
Our Year in Review LMCU’s 2018 Annual Report reflects our commitment to our communities and summarizes our work and impact related to:
Education 3 Supporting educators by acknowledging our roots as the Grand Rapids Teacher’s Credit Union
Healthcare 4 Contributing to efforts to make our community healthier for all through research, care, and support for those who need it most
Housing 5 Recognizing and investing in initiatives supporting safe and affordable places to call home in every community
Volunteerism 6-8 Empowering our team members to contribute to community efforts through group volunteer efforts and paid volunteer time
Local Focus 9-10 Highlighting LMCU’s local and regional involvement in Michigan and Southwest Florida
Looking Ahead 11-12 Sharing our vision for impact in 2019
Our Mission Community outreach has been embedded in our culture since Lloyd Hutt established Grand Rapids Teachers Credit Union 85 years ago. Whether through volunteerism, philanthropy, sponsorships or other forms of engagement, it has been important to be an active participant and a catalyst for change and growth in the communities we serve. We are focused on being good stewards of our organization’s resources. Those resources are used to strategically support impact areas within education, healthcare, and housing in the communities our members and staff live and work in.
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What We Accomplished in 2018 $472,453 provided in philanthropic support by LMCU in 2018 Over 3,000 One Pencil school supply bags donated to teachers Over $40,000 raised for pediatric care in local Michigan and Florida hospitals Awarded 15 $2,000 Lloyd F. Hutt Scholarships to high school seniors 571 LMCU employees volunteered over 3,500 hours in Michigan and Florida 66,800 pounds of sensitive documents shredded at events in Michigan and Florida 498 Michigan patients received life-saving blood from LMCU team members Recognized as the 2018 Outstanding Corporation of the Year by AFP West Michigan
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Education
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We are committed to empowering
1,070 high school seniors submitted
in the classroom. We also contributed to
future generations by helping to provide
essays to the Lloyd F. Hutt Scholarship
training programs at the West Michigan
teachers, students, and their families
program which awarded 15 $2,000
Center for Arts and Technology (WMCAT)
from all walks of life with the resources
scholarships. LMCU’s March Reading
for underemployed and unemployed
they need to be successful both inside
Month recognized the importance of
adults, providing a path to a career in
and outside of the classroom. Educational
early childhood literacy by encouraging
the medical field. In Florida, we supported
efforts included initiatives ranging in focus
the 944 children who participated to
the PACE Center for Girls in both Lee and
from early childhood to adult literacy.
read a total of 6,220 books.
Collier counties which provide resources,
Our educational focus was highlighted
85 years later, Grand Rapids Public
by our annual campaigns. We supported
Schools (GRPS) remains an important
3,055 teachers with school supply bags
partner. We work with the Grand Rapids
through our One Pencil Project in recognition
Student Advancement Foundation to
of their dedication to today’s youth.
assist both GRPS students and teachers
support, and educational opportunities for at-risk girls in their counties.
Healthcare LMCU has invested in a variety of initiatives
We also supported organizations doing
LMCU has partnered with Make-A-Wish®
focused on the research, care, and support
key research such as the Van Andel
in both Florida and Michigan. Our Florida
system related to the health of our
Institute and March of Dimes. Mental
community members.
health efforts supported by the Be Nice
Foundation of Southern Florida at their
program and grief support provided by
inaugural LMCU Shred Day, while also
Gilda’s Club were other important initiatives
participating and volunteering at a variety
that we volunteered with and donated to
of Make-A-Wish events throughout the year.
Through our 2018 Band Together campaign, LMCU members and employees raised over $40,000 in support of pediatric programs in Michigan and Southwest Florida. The funds were donated to 12 different hospital foundations across our various communities.
region raised funds for the Make-A-Wish ®
®
throughout the year. Mary Free Bed
®
Rehabilitation Hospital was supported in their quest to restore hope and freedom through rehabilitation services in Michigan. LMCU also hosted ten blood drives with Michigan Blood in 2018, collecting 166 total pints of blood for patients in need.
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Housing Ensuring that there are more pathways to
the local community—committing over
matched by LMCU. We also invested
a stable place to call home is critical for
500 hours across eight different Habitat
in other non-profit initiatives that help
our communities. In 2018, we collaborated
for Humanity organizations in both
establish a safe and affordable place
with a number of non-profits who focus on
Michigan and Florida.
to call home for those in need.
efforts, and creating home stability.
Other programs included Home Repair
Our staff was also able to volunteer
Services of Kent County Fix-It School
with home construction and renovation
A new initiative was introduced in 2018
classes for homeowners. These free
projects within many of our communities.
that encouraged our mortgage team
classes taught basic home repair skills.
Entire departments, groups of cross-
members to support their local Habitat
Additionally, a coin canister was added at
functional staff, and individual team
for HumanityÂŽ affiliate. Over 80 team
the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in
members all donated time to a variety
members took time out of their work
Grand Rapids, Michigan to collect funds
of these projects during the year.
schedule to assist in building homes for
for Mel Trotter Ministries that are being
home owner resources, affordable housing
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Volunteerism Our impact couldn’t happen without the
organizations they are passionate about.
including volunteer opportunities with our
passion and participation of our team
We are proud to foster an environment that
non-profit partners. In early December,
members. Each year, we offer LMCU staff
enables our team members to give back.
100 department managers stepped-up
members one paid day off to volunteer at an organization of their choice. While we provide information about available opportunities, LMCU team members are empowered to spend this time with
During the holidays, we celebrated the fifth annual LMCU Santa Squad Campaign.
to volunteer across Michigan and Southwest Florida at 12 different organizations.
Our team members spread holiday cheer through 24 days of community outreach,
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Volunteer Features Our employees personify the LMCU culture while making a tremendous contribution in the communities they are a part of. We would like to introduce just two of the many that are making an impact through volunteerism. Lake Michigan Credit Union’s very own Sedrick Rico is no stranger to giving back. Through his volunteering and philanthropic involvement, Sedrick has been able to change lives and make a difference in his community. In 2018, he volunteered at 10 different organizations including schools, a nature preserve, Veterans organizations, and hospitals. In his own words, “A great leader is someone who cares for and serves the people around him. Once I found out how involved LMCU is in the community, I knew it was something I wanted to focus on.”
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Sandy Mucci is another LMCU staff member who goes above and beyond in her contributions to community. While all employees receive one paid day to volunteer, Sandy goes way beyond that as one of our most involved staff members. Sandy annually assists with Shred Day, One Pencil Project bag assembly, and is very active with her local American Legion. Sandy also voluntarily returns pop bottles for all of our corporate buildings. In the last five years, a total of $2,700 has been raised from these pop can returns and donated to nonprofits in our community. When asked what it means to her that LMCU offers a paid day for staff to volunteer in their community, Sandy replied, “It means a lot that LMCU appreciates their employees and gives them a paid day off to go out and reach out to the community. I try to sign up for everything that I can. But I can’t get everything in there.”
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Local Focus Whether you are in Grand Rapids, Traverse City, Saginaw, Kalamazoo, Naples, or Metro Detroit you may have encountered LMCU at a local community event. While we have grown from our original roots in Grand Rapids, being an active community participant remains critical. Our staff is volunteering, sponsoring local events, participating in local business groups, and helping support non-profits across Michigan and Southwest Florida. While we have only been in Florida for a few years, our involvement continues to grow. Our team in Florida has been active participants in their local chambers and business groups, engaged with local nonprofit causes, and a number of our managers are serving on non-profit boards throughout the Southwest Florida region.
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Looking Ahead 85 years ago, our founder, Lloyd Hutt, recognized the need among his fellow teachers for basic banking services. Today, LMCU’s mission has evolved, but we remain committed to addressing the needs of our members and our communities through value-rich products and services as well as philanthropic impact. In 2019, LMCU will continue to grow our impact throughout each community we serve. Our regional community involvement and philanthropic efforts will continue to evolve as we seek to deepen existing relationships while fostering new ones. In both Michigan and Florida, we’ll continue to support the teachers that are investing in our children’s education. We want to ensure that every child in our communities has an equitable opportunity to learn and succeed. We’ll also continue to support our local hospitals and community resources, helping them provide care for all community members, especially the most vulnerable. We will pursue and participate in critical conversations about growing the paths to home ownership for all individuals. Finally, we’ll continue empowering our team members to be active in their own communities—effecting the causes that are near and dear to their own hearts. We’ve come a long way from our humble beginnings in 1933. We look forward to another year of serving our members, giving back, and making a difference in our communities. Matt Cook Vice President of Community Relations Lake Michigan Credit Union
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For more information, visit LMCU.org