Mazuma Foundation Grants, ESG funding, and volunteerism totals $360,000+ in impact

Mazuma Credit Union celebrated its 75th Anniversary in 2023 with free community events, promotional rates for Members, and record breaking Give Back efforts encompassing the organization’s time, space, and resources. Mazuma’s 40 Hours for Good program gives Team Members 40 hours of paid volunteer time annually to support Kansas City nonprofit organizations focused on the arts, financial education, or community development. In 2023, participation exceeded 6,300 hours of volunteer time given, including a record-breaking Give Back Day in October in which 180 Team Members spent over 1,400 volunteer hours with 5 local organizations at 10 locations across the city.

Mazuma also offers the community spaces at its headquarters and branch locations free of charge for any organization looking for space to meet and discuss social or economic initiatives that make Kansas City a better place for all who live here. Organizations including Hope House, Inclusion Connections, and Kansas City Community Gardens benefitted from this initiative throughout the Credit Union’s 75th Anniversary year in 2023.

The Mazuma Foundation, created in 2015 as part of the Credit Union’s focus on providing financial assistance to the community it serves, recently announced its 2023 grant recipients. These local nonprofit organizations have been awarded a combined total of $90,000 in grants to fund a wide range of community-focused initiatives that promote accessibility, opportunity, and quality of life across the Kansas City metropolitan area. In addition, Mazuma’s Corporate Social Responsibility program supported several community partners throughout the year, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Reconciliation Services, the Victory Project, and the Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) program, bringing the organization’s total monetary give back of time, space, and financial assets in 2023 to over $360,000.

“Credit Unions like Mazuma serve a unique and vital purpose in our communities, providing financial opportunities, access, and support with a local focus and dedication to giving back,” says Deonne Christensen, Mazuma’s President and CEO. “Our higher purpose is reflected not just in the banking products and services we provide, but also in the larger positive impact we make on our communities. Kansas City is lucky to be home to so many passionate people and organizations that do so much good, and Mazuma is honored to be able to provide support for our 65+ Community Partners by sharing our time, our space, and our resources.”

2023 grant recipients include:

· Boys and Girls Club of Kansas City

· Community LINC

· Exceeds Expectations

· HopeKids Kansas City

· Ivanhoe Neighborhood Association

· Kansas City Community Gardens

· Literacy KC

· reStart Inc

· YMCA of Greater Kansas City

Stephanie Boyer, CEO of reStart, Inc., says “We are grateful to have the support, trust, and investment from the Mazuma Foundation as we work to provide housing and hope for some of Kansas City's most vulnerable." "We are immensely grateful for the generous gift that we received from Mazuma,” notes Xavier Hankins, LiteracyKC’s Chief Development Officer. “This funding will significantly bolster our community service initiatives in adult education, enabling us to continue making a profound impact and creating positive change in the lives of those we serve."

“This gift from the Mazuma Foundation will help KCCG underwrite services for 10 community gardens, providing them with subsidized seeds, plants, gardening supplies, along with free workshops and horticultural coaching,” adds Jennifer Meyer, Executive Director of Kansas City Community Gardens. “Together, these gardens have the potential to grow close to 13,000 pounds of food – a $30,000+ value!”

Now in its 76th year of serving the Kansas City community, Mazuma Credit Union continues its dedication to Making Kansas City a Better Place to Live, Work, and Bank, drawing ongoing inspiration from its legacy as a local force for good. As Christensen notes, “As a Kansas City institution during an exciting time of growth and change for our city, we are honored to enthusiastically contribute to that positive momentum on behalf of our Members and our community.”