BayPort Credit Union Wins Community Service Award for Program Linking Branch Offices, Local Non-Profits

NEWPORT NEWS, VA (11/05/2010)(readMedia)-- BayPort Credit Union has won 1st Place in the state Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Recognition Award Program for credit unions. The Social Responsibility Recognition Award Program, sponsored by the Virginia Credit Union League and the Credit Union National Association, honors credit unions for their involvement in community projects and activities.

BayPort won the award for its "Community Branch Adoption" program, which gave each of the credit union's 12 branch locations the autonomy to develop working relationships with worthwhile community organizations and support those organizations through fundraising, in-kind contributions and volunteer service. Dozens of organizations received more than $113,000 in direct aid, as well as support through the credit union's in-kind contributions. BayPort staff members witnessed how their efforts made a significant impact in the communities in which they live and work.

Projects completed by BayPort's branches included volunteer service building a home with Habitat for Humanity, gift bags for a local nursing home, painting of a playground for the local YMCA, and gathering supplies for a non-profit daycare center's field day. BayPort also collected clothing for a rescue mission and for the homeless, provided funding to support two shelters for battered women; participated in the Salvation Army's Angel Tree program; supported after-prom events, and came to the rescue of a Kindergarten program for 4-year-olds that was in danger of being eliminated because of budget cuts. In addition, the credit union used its partnerships to tutor young people with disabilities in reading and math, while also offering basic lessons in personal finance and giving each child in its program $5 toward starting a savings account.

"We truly 'localized' our community involvement efforts through this program. We learned that the communities we serve often have their own unique needs and challenges, and our employees seemed to appreciate the fact they were making a difference in their local communities," says George Dudley, President/CEO of BayPort Credit Union. "By allowing our individual branches to build relationships with charities and non-profits right outside their doors, it created deeper awareness of our communities and helped build on the 'neighbor helping neighbor' philosophy so integral to who we are as a credit union."

BayPort Credit Union is a $1.1 billion member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative, headquartered in Newport News. Learn more about the credit union online at www.bayportcu.org.

The competition is named after Dora Maxwell, a credit union pioneer, who worked with several organizations to improve the living standards of the poor and needy.