VACU Donates $45,000 to Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU; Provides Resources to Teach Families About Personal Finance

Virginia Credit Union donated $45,000 to Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR), the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals affiliate serving Central Virginia. VACU also provided $5,000 worth of financial education resources to the hospital, including a collection of relatable, multicultural books that teach personal finance concepts at a level appropriate for elementary school-aged students and teens.

VACU has donated more than $305,000 to Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU during the past decade, to include the $45,000 gift this year.

This year’s VACU donation will support the Child Life Program, which helps patients and families adjust to the clinical setting of a hospital, manage illness and injury, and cope with medical treatments. The current project to expand the child life services program in the hospital’s new Children’s Tower is a strategic partnership with the Teammates for Kids Foundation. The planned 3,000-square foot Child Life Zone in the Tower will serve as an oasis for families receiving care and will be a hub for supportive services for patients. The Child Life Program relies solely on philanthropic dollars, and partnerships like the one with Virginia Credit Union are crucial to the program’s success.

VACU is also a participant in Credit Unions for Kids, a national credit union organization that raises money for local CMN Hospitals all across the country.

Last month, Credit Unions for Kids and participating credit unions like VACU were awarded CMN Hospitals’ prestigious Founder’s Award, which recognizes the exceptional support of local CMN Hospitals by organizations or individuals. Credit unions nationally have contributed more than $200 million since 1996 to their local CMN Hospitals. In addition to financial donations, many credit unions support their local hospitals through volunteerism, sponsorships, and in-kind contributions.

“Charities and community partners that support the well-being of children are a focus for our community involvement initiatives,” notes VACU’s Deb Wreden, executive vice president of product and delivery strategy. “Our employees have always embraced our support of CHoR, with so many of us having known kids and families who were treated at the hospital. We’re truly proud to support their mission to provide world-class care and treatment for children and to help fund research by CMN Hospitals nationwide that paves the way for new treatments -- and even cures -- for many life-threatening illnesses.”

As VACU’s designated charity-of-choice, employees have participated in a number of employee-directed fundraisers for CHoR, with the credit union matching employee contributions in most instances. VACU’s support also includes a years-long partnership called “VACU Assists” with the Virginia Commonwealth University men’s and women’s basketball teams, through which VACU makes a contribution to Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU each time the Rams make an assist on the court.

“VACU has been one of our longest CMN Hospital partners, which allows CHoR to provide world-class pediatric health care right here in Central Virginia and beyond,” noted Laura Dwyer, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Program Director at Children’s Hospital Foundation. “Importantly, the support from VACU ensures we give over 70,000 children that receive care at CHoR each year the best shot at a healthy future.”

A financial cooperative serving more than 320,000 members, Virginia Credit Union offers a variety of affordable banking services, loans, mortgages, and free financial education resources, with a focus on helping people be more confident with their finances. Virginia Credit Union is an equal housing opportunity lender and is federally insured by NCUA.