#ICUDay | October 18, 2018
To the more than 7,000 credit unions across the United States, IMS would like to be the first to wish you a Happy International Credit Union Day! We know it’s not until October 18th, but we wanted to share some ideas we’ve dug up to help credit unions celebrate THEIR day of recognition.
Below is the official video that has been released for #ICUDay, with the theme “Find Your Platinum Lining in Credit Unions“. You can share this with your workforce and members, to remind them of the many great things brought about by the credit union movement.
#ICUDay Celebration Ideas
Get Social!
This year, the official hashtag for International Credit Union Day is #ICUDay. Utilize this hashtag when:
- taking group photos of employees and colleagues.
- posting the events you have scheduled for your celebration.
- sharing posts from other credit unions, reinforcing that they all work together to make the credit union community a strong and positive one.
- using a “photo frame” like the one below, where members and employees can upload their photos to different social channels.
Have a Weeklong Celebration
Choose a different theme each day of the week, such as:
- Member Appreciation Day
- Credit Union Open House
- Community Spirit Day
Offer refreshments and open dialogue, inviting not just current members, but those who may not know the benefits of being a CU member. Consider having music provided by students from local schools, to further increase interest and foot traffic to your location.
Get Involved in the Community
While not just for #ICUDay, launching a community service initiative is a great way to kick off your celebration. There are many ways to get involved in the community, such as:
- Planning a community cleanup effort
- Sponsoring a “Dress for Success” event, where your location can be a drop-off for donated business clothes that will be provided to those in need
- Partnering with a local community service effort, such as Habitat for Humanity or Meals on Wheels, and allow employees to volunteer and assist with efforts
Educate Potential Members
Many people are simply unaware of the benefits and privileges of being a credit union member. Use #ICUDay as a method to share information about those benefits, in ways like:
- Going to local schools to speak to the young students of the community about the benefits of saving, and how a credit union can help;
- Sponsoring an art or essay writing contest to the young students, showcasing the perks of being a credit union member;
- Scheduling an informal seminar series, where current and prospective members can learn about specific topics such as personal and business loans, savings, or the ways in which credit unions can help small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Facts About Credit Unions You May Not Know
As the 70th Annual International Credit Union Day approaches we thought we’d share some information that just might surprise you. These are great bits of information to share with those considering joining a CU, but unfamiliar with how a credit union works.
- Credit unions offer everything from checking and savings accounts, to auto and mortgage loans, to insurance and investment opportunities.
- Credit unions are co-ops. Each credit union member owns a share in the institution, and they are represented by a board of volunteers.
- 73% of millennials do not know that credit unions are not-for-profit, member-owned financial institutions.
- Once you are a member of a credit union, you can remain a member for life; even if you no longer have the original membership qualifications. “Once a member, always a member.”
- Contrary to some perceptions of the name, credit unions have nothing to do with credit reports and scores and are not affiliated with a labor union.
- 72% of the nation’s larger credit unions offer free checking accounts, compared with only 38% of the nation’s largest banking institutions.
The Credit Union National Association also has some great resources and ideas to help you make #ICUDay a special one for your credit union, so have a look!
IMS is a proud supporter and service provider to credit unions across the country. We’ve combined our top-notch customer service with a suite of specialized products and services focusing on the needs of credit unions across that U.S., including:
- disaster recovery
- private cloud backup and hosting
- custom programming and integration
- e-statements and e-notices
and so much more!
At IMS, our primary goal is to become your trusted credit union service provider. If you would like to know more about how IMS can help your credit union, contact us today.
