Members of the community are invited to vote for the recipient of the 2021 ePIFanyNow™ Y-PIF™ Award. The award honors young individuals who are passing kindness forward and making a difference in their communities. Nominations were submitted over the last few months and voting is now open through the end of the month.

Each vote is $1 and all funds raised from voting will be donated back to the individual Y-PIF™ nominee's project receiving the vote. The winner(s) of the Y-PIF™ Award will receive funding for their youth-led activities or projects that provide service to others and make a positive contribution to their communities.

Leading up to Ronald McDonald House of Mid-Michigan's (RMHMM) 2021 Run for the House, OU Credit Union joined the efforts of local Laingsburg High School senior, Autumn Michaels. As part of her senior project, Autumn collected recyclables and aluminum tabs in her local community to donate to RMHMM. Word of her initiative eventually reached the Credit Union, who launched a two-week aluminum tab collection amongst employees. Altogether OU Credit Union employees donated seven one-gallon plastic bags full of aluminum tabs to Autumn, and subsequently, RMHMM.

In total, Autumn donated 21.4 lbs. of tabs (equivalent to 25,680 tabs) and raised $831 by returning donated recyclable cans, which is equal to 8,310 cans. Each year, the House receives nearly $2,000 in donated recyclables and aluminum tabs. Donations, like Autumn's, help cover the cost of basic utilities at the House for a whole month.

Inspired by Autumn's initiative, OU Credit Union will launch an internal, organization-wide aluminum tab collection benefiting RMHMM. OU Credit Union is grateful for Autumn's positive impact on the RMHMM, the Credit Union, and our community.

Lace up your running shoes and join the Credit Union for the virtual Sparrow Michigan Mile on Saturday, June 5 at a location of your choosing! The event is a race day designed for children ages 13 and under! Children ages 13 and under can register for the Sparrow Michigan Mile, a one-mile run, while children ages six and under can register to participate in the KIDSPRINT. All participants will receive a t-shirt, pedometer wristwatch, colorable race bib, gold medal, and race bag!

The Credit Union is proud to continue to support Sparrow in its effort to build a healthy and vibrant community. To register for race day, please click here.

Wallet Watch, a podcast brought to you by MSUFCU and OU Credit Union, is proud to highlight some of the Credit Union's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives during its most recent season.

The hosts explore ways the Credit Union is implementing progressive changes to offer more diverse, equitable, and inclusive spaces, for both its members and employees. The episode titled, "Defining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" features an interview with our Director of DEI, Amanda Denny, who explains how our new branch layouts support these inclusive spaces and how her role is driving change. During our episode, "Connecting at Work: Employee Resource Groups," ERG leaders discuss how their groups allow members to be their true, authentic selves at work.

Wallet Watch is available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Podbean, and more. Transcripts are available for listeners to refer back to the content shared during the episodes. If you are interested receiving one, please send us an email at [email protected].