Partnering to Show the Love for Stanislaus County

Shane Saunders President / CEO at Mocse Credit Union

On the last Saturday of each April, thousands fill our streets, nonprofits, and parks to show the love for our community. We’ve all seen the giant signs throughout Stanislaus County – Love Modesto, Love Oakdale, Love Turlock, etc. – preparing us for an incredible day of service.

What originated in Modesto is now a global movement to encourage giveback in cities throughout the world, and it has given rise to a newly published book by founders Jeff Pishney and Eric Jung. Love Our Cities (Morgan James Publishing, 2023), details humble beginnings of what is now a widely anticipated, local event run by an umbrella organization, Love Stanislaus County.

A couple months ago, Jeff told the origin story of Love Stanislaus County to the CEO of Mocse Credit Union, Shane Saunders. Shane was immediately struck by the improbable beginnings, support from the community, and the inspirational impact of a community-wide day of service.

Totally onboard, Mocse quickly became an annual sponsor of Love Stanislaus, though Shane wanted to find ways to help that went beyond sponsorship. Mocse wanted to engage employees, credit union members, and their neighbors to contribute in a substantial, meaningful way.

“I challenged our leadership team to think of ways to elevate our support, and they created a novel idea,” said Shane. The team asked, “What if we could offer Mocse members a way to give back to their community by doing what they do every day, and giving back in a way that actually didn’t cost them anything?”

The result from the Mocse leadership team: a checking account with a debit card that automatically generates a donation to Love Stanislaus County with every purchase. The donation is paid by Mocse, not the accountholder. Every latte, every grocery trip, and every fill-up at the gas station creates giveback directly into the community.

When Shane floated the concept by Jeff, the two agreed this could be an amazing partnership to create sustainable, ongoing engagement with Mocse members and the community. It will also help to dispel a common myth: that Love Stanislaus County consists solely of a volunteer day. Love Stanislaus County actually consists of ongoing programs for community support, and more programs under development. According to Jeff, “The intent has always been to foster a culture of continuous community engagement rather than a single day of volunteerism.”

“Everything feels right about this partnership,” said Shane. “We have Love Stanislaus County, a strong, effective, local nonprofit, pairing up with a strong, local, not-for-profit credit union – Mocse – to give our members a meaningful, easy way to benefit the place they call home. That’s a win for everyone.”

Newly published book featuring Love Stanislaus County as a model for service

Jeff Pishney, CEO of Love