State Employees’ Credit Union and SECU Foundation Receive Top Honors for Service and Social Responsibility Programs

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) and the SECU Foundation were first-place recipients of two statewide Credit Union National Association (CUNA) awards sponsored by the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation (CCUF) – the Louise A. Herring Award for Philosophy in Action and the Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Award, respectively. SECU received the Louise Herring Award for demonstrating the practical application of the credit union philosophy of “People Helping People®” through the beneficial services provided by SECU*RE, Inc., the Credit Union’s wholly-owned property management Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO). SECU*RE was formed in 2013 to preserve and improve foreclosed residential real estate across North Carolina while helping Credit Union and community members in need of safe and affordable housing. Since then, SECU*RE has continued to expand its property renovation and community revitalization niche, providing affordable rental housing to more than 8,200 North Carolinians, and since 2020, it has turned 32 of its renters into first-time homeowners. SECU Foundation won the Dora Maxwell Award for its Mission Development Grant (MDG) program, which promotes local and community development. Starting as a pilot in 2017, the program was designed to assist North Carolina non-profits with organizational capacity building to help them continue their mission of serving others with expanded facilities and services. The Foundation has since awarded 39 MDG grants totaling more than $1.5 million to help so many, including the homeless, veterans, children experiencing food or clothing insecurity, and patients and families needing hospitality house or hospice care services. The Foundation is anticipating 20 more MDGs to be awarded by this summer. “These awards recognize many great programs that exemplify how credit unions live out the ‘People Helping People’ philosophy each and every day,” said Leigh Brady, chief operating officer. “We are honored to be acknowledged by CCUF for our dedication and commitment to making a positive difference.