More than half of 3Rivers Credit Union employees voluntarily donate part of their paycheck to community causes. And they’ve been doing it for nearly a decade.
Since 2016, this employee-led giving program has funneled over $1.5 million into local communities across Indiana and Ohio through United Way partnerships. That’s not monopoly money—that’s real impact addressing food insecurity, housing, mental health support, and education.
The secret sauce? It’s not mandatory. It’s not a PR stunt. It’s just 54% of the team consistently choosing to invest in the places where they live and work.
Breaking Down Nearly a Decade of Giving
Let’s talk numbers. The 2025-2026 campaign just wrapped up a record-breaking year with employees contributing over $100,000. The credit union matched it dollar-for-dollar with another $100,000. The year before? Pretty much the same story—$97,000 from employees, $96,000 from corporate.
Since launching, employees alone have put up nearly $900,000. Add in corporate matches and strategic investments, and you get to that $1.5 million total.
“This isn’t a single campaign or one-time effort,” explains Don Cates, President & CEO of 3Rivers. “It’s our people choosing, year after year, to invest in the communities they’re part of. For many, it’s a first step into philanthropy—one that often grows into a lifelong commitment to giving time, talent, and resources.”
Think of it as community impact as a team sport, not a corporate obligation.
Why This Actually Works (And Doesn’t Fizzle Out)
Plenty of workplace giving programs launch with fanfare and die quietly within a few years. This one’s been going strong since 2016, with participation holding steady between 47-54% annually. Employee contributions have consistently hovered around $100,000 in recent years.
So what’s keeping it alive? Three things that sound simple but are surprisingly rare:
It’s Personal
Employees choose whether to participate and where their money goes within the United Way network. That agency matters. Nobody’s guilt-tripping anyone into donating, and people can direct funds toward causes they actually care about—maybe the food bank that helped a neighbor, or youth programs their kids benefit from.
It’s Consistent
The campaign shows up annually like clockwork. There are clear participation options, tiered giving levels (so you’re not stuck guessing what’s appropriate), and straightforward ways to get involved. Small incentives help, but they’re not doing the heavy lifting—the structure is.
The corporate match amplifies everything employees contribute, which doesn’t hurt either. And an internal campaign committee keeps the momentum going year after year.
It’s Part of Something Bigger
The payroll giving doesn’t exist in isolation. 3Rivers gives employees two paid volunteer days annually. There’s United Way’s Day of Caring. Every fall brings an all-staff Give Back Day where teams volunteer at nonprofits throughout the region.
Then there’s the Community LEADERS program, which prepares employees for nonprofit board service—basically grooming the next generation of community stewards.
When giving is woven into the fabric of how you operate, it stops feeling like an extra thing and starts feeling like just what you do.
“We’ve seen that when people feel connected to where their time and money are going, they stay engaged,” says AiJana’e Hardy, Total Rewards Manager at 3Rivers. “Team members give because they see how our United Way support benefits local partners and programs, often ones they or people they know are directly connected to. That ability to direct their gift makes each contribution more meaningful.”
The Recognition
3Rivers has racked up a Spirit of Giving award from United Way, plus multiple Campaign of the Year honors. Nice to have on the shelf, sure—but what they really reflect is consistent participation and genuine team buy-in over time.
“For more than a decade, 3Rivers has demonstrated what it means to lead with purpose,” notes Brandi Buck, Executive Director of United Way of Allen County. “Their investment in our community extends beyond dollars to a genuine commitment to understanding and addressing its most pressing needs. Their leadership reflects a powerful commitment to action, not just intention.”
Worth mentioning: Cates serves as Treasurer on United Way of Allen County’s board and has previously held roles as Campaign Chair and Board Chair. The partnership runs deep.
The Blueprint for Other Financial Institutions
If you’re at a bank or credit union wondering how to build real community impact without it feeling performative, here’s your cheat sheet:
- Make it easy to participate. Complicated processes kill momentum faster than anything.
- Give employees actual choice. Let them direct where support goes. Autonomy breeds engagement.
- Keep it consistent. Same time every year, same clear structure, same straightforward options.
At 3Rivers, these aren’t revolutionary concepts—they’re just consistently applied basics. And they’ve created a program that essentially runs itself. Participation stays strong, engagement deepens over time, and communities across Indiana and Ohio keep benefiting.
The bottom line? When you make giving accessible, give people a voice in where it goes, and keep showing up year after year, it stops being a program and becomes part of who you are. That’s when the real impact happens.