When disaster strikes halfway around the world, it’s easy to feel helpless.
But the team at Addition Financial Credit Union proved that sometimes the simplest ideas—like wearing jeans to work—can spark something pretty remarkable.
After devastating earthquakes hit Venezuela in late June, several Addition Financial employees who have personal connections to the country approached their leadership with a straightforward pitch: let’s do a Jeans Day fundraiser. You know the drill—donate at least five bucks, swap your work pants for denim, and actually look forward to Monday for once.
What happened next exceeded everyone’s expectations.
From Grassroots Idea to Company-Wide Movement
The July fundraiser brought in roughly $2,000 from 158 employees across Addition Financial’s branches and offices—a record turnout for this type of employee-driven campaign at the credit union. But here’s where it gets better: inspired by that overwhelming participation, both Addition Financial Credit Union and the Addition Financial Foundation stepped up with matching donations of $2,000 each.
Final tally? $6,000 heading straight to relief efforts.
All of those funds are going to the I Love Venezuela Foundation, a nonprofit that partners with established humanitarian organizations throughout Venezuela to deliver critical resources where they’re needed most. The money will support earthquake relief and recovery efforts following the powerful quakes that devastated communities across northern Venezuela.
When It’s Personal, People Show Up
“Our hearts immediately went out to everyone affected by this tragedy,” said Juan Velasco, Contact Center Manager at Addition Financial and one of the fundraiser’s organizers. “Many of us have family, friends and loved ones in Venezuela, and we’ve seen firsthand how deeply these earthquakes have impacted the people and communities we care about.”
Velasco added that watching colleagues from every corner of the organization rally together so quickly was genuinely moving. “It was a powerful reminder that even from hundreds of miles away, we can make a real difference when we unite behind a common purpose.”
Cristina Lehman, Executive Director of the Addition Financial Foundation, said the employee response made the Foundation’s matching gift decision pretty much a no-brainer.
“When our team members stepped forward with this incredible show of compassion, our Foundation Board didn’t hesitate to join them,” Lehman explained. “Their generosity reflects the caring culture that defines Addition Financial, and we were honored to amplify their impact with a matching gift. Supporting our team members as they support communities in need is exactly what the Foundation exists to do.”
Part of a Larger Global Response
Addition Financial’s $6,000 contribution joins a much larger wave of support. As of July 15, the I Love Venezuela Foundation’s emergency relief fund had collected nearly $7 million from donors worldwide—money that’s providing urgent assistance including food, clean water, medical care, and temporary shelter to earthquake survivors.
Sometimes making a difference starts with a simple question: “What if we all wore jeans on Friday?” Turns out, that’s more than enough.