SchoolsFirst FCU Celebrates 2023 Year of Giving to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals

Credit Union Raised More Than $365,000 in 2023 for Children's Miracle Network and Area Children's Hospitals

SchoolsFirst FCU, the largest credit union serving school employees and their families, today announced that it contributed more than $365,000 in 2023 – through a combination of corporate donations and fundraising – to support Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (CMNH) and designated children's hospitals in California, including Children's Health of Orange County (CHOC), Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), Rady Children's Hospital – San Diego and UC Davis Children's Hospital.

As a credit union serving California school employees and their families, SchoolsFirst FCU has participated in supporting Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, the charity of choice for credit unions, through partnerships with regional hospitals throughout the state. SchoolsFirst FCU also assumed an active role in fundraising initiatives sponsored by "Credit Unions for Kids" (also known as "CU4Kids"), the brand under which credit unions nationwide raise funds for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

"We take pride in working with children's hospitals throughout California to ensure children and their families receive the critical support they need. This is an important part of the credit union philosophy and commitment to the communities we serve," said Bill Cheney, chief executive officer at SchoolsFirst FCU. "Each year it is particularly rewarding to witness the way our SchoolsFirst FCU Members and team work together to create healthier and happier futures for children, families and communities."

During 2023, SchoolsFirst FCU, its Members and teammembers raised funds for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals through a variety of activities and programs:

Children's Health of Orange County (CHOC)
SchoolsFirst FCU raised funds for CHOC by sponsoring the hospital's annual CHOC Walk in the Park event through fundraising activities, corporate matching funds and teammember volunteerism. The Credit Union also served as a sponsor for the 2023 CHOC Gala in May and participated in special activities including a Thanksgiving dinner and the assembly of activity kits for distribution to children and families during the holiday season. SchoolsFirst FCU also conducted a campaign in its branch locations during which Members received CHOC's iconic "Choco Bear" plush toys for donations to CHOC. Based on its strong partnership with CHOC, SchoolsFirst FCU was honored by CHOC as the 2023 Outstanding Corporation in the organization's annual Charley Awards presentation.

Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA)
For Children's Hospital Los Angeles, SchoolsFirst FCU served as a sponsor of the Giving Tuesday Radiothon, an annual initiative designed to encourage the community to donate and support Children's Hospital Los Angeles on the global day of giving back. The Credit Union also participated in the annual CHLA Walk & Play L.A. event, conducted an in-branch fundraising campaign featuring CHLA's very first "Bugsby Butterfly" plush toys, and assembled and distributed activity kits for children and families during the holiday season.

Rady Children's Hospital – San Diego
In the San Diego region, as a sponsor of the Rady Children's Hospital Ice Rink at Liberty Station, SchoolsFirst FCU partnered with Rady Children's Hospital and San Diego schools to provide vouchers to school employees for complimentary ice skating at the ice rink, with all net proceeds benefitting the Thriving After Cancer program at the Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Rady Children's Hospital – San Diego. The Credit Union also sponsored an annual in-branch fundraising campaign with the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Snowman icon serving as the visual centerpiece of the event.

UC Davis Children's Hospital
In Northern California, SchoolsFirst FCU became a first-time sponsor of an initiative at the UC Davis Children's Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to gift books donated by the Credit Union to families of NICU patients. In addition, the Credit Union worked with the hospital in a separate initiative to sponsor its "Penny" plush toy campaign at branch locations, where Members received plush toys for their donations to the hospital. SchoolsFirst FCU also sponsored the "Play Yellow!" Classic at UC Davis, a program affiliated with the PGA Tour to support Children's Miracle Network Hospitals across the county.

Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (CMNH)

At the national level, SchoolsFirst FCU supported and participated in a number of West Coast CU4Kids events in 2023, including the CU4Kids Wine Auction in Laguna Niguel, the SACTOWN 10 Run in Sacramento, and the CU4Kids Northwest Classic golf tournament at the Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club outside Portland, Oregon. SchoolsFirst FCU Chief Executive Officer Bill Cheney serves on the CMNH board of trustees.