More people will have food on their table thanks to the commitment of Redwood Credit Union and other credit unions. On October 16, RCU joined credit unions around the world in celebrating the spirit of the global credit union movement on International Credit Union (ICU) Day, a day for credit unions to raise awareness and reflect on their history and commitment to serving their members and communities. This year’s theme, “Cooperation for a Prosperous World,” recognizes how credit unions bring people together through shared purpose and support.
To honor ICU Day, RCU supported local nonprofits focused on expanding access to healthy food: RCU donated 25 cents for each purchase members made with their RCU Visa® debit or credit cards on October 16, to benefit food nonprofits in Sonoma, Napa, Marin, Lake, Mendocino, and San Francisco counties. With 1 in 5 California households facing food insecurity,* this effort helps support organizations working to ensure everyone has access to nutritious food.
Food insecurity is rising across the North Bay as federal cuts have taken effect. RCU believes no one should have to choose between paying bills and putting food on the table. This year’s ICU Day donation is part of the credit union’s broader commitment to addressing hunger and building a scalable, sustainable model for community resilience.
RCU donated more than $59,000 to five nonprofit partners committed to addressing food insecurity for vulnerable populations across six counties:
- A Simple Gesture (Sonoma)
- Redwood Empire Food Bank (Sonoma and Lake)
- Plowshares (Mendocino)
- SF-Marin Food Bank (San Francisco and Marin)
- Community Action of Napa Valley (Napa)
“ICU Day celebrates the spirit of people working together to empower financial well-being and the shared purpose that leads to a stronger, more inclusive community,” says RCU President and CEO Brett Martinez. “We’re honored to help members achieve their goals and dreams, and to support organizations that increase access to healthy food for those who need it most.”
This year, International Credit Union Day was celebrated the same week as RCU’s Day of Impact. On October 13, RCU partnered with Foster Love, with RCU’s full workforce of 1,000 team members assembling nearly 4,000 care bags and birthday boxes – enough for every foster youth in San Francisco and all the North Bay counties where RCU has locations. These resources were distributed to local foster youth in partnership with more than a dozen local nonprofits across 6 counties in RCU’s service area.
Through its community giving efforts, RCU has donated more than $195,000 to local organizations working to combat food insecurity in 2025 alone. In addition, RCU team members volunteer monthly at local food banks to help meet the needs of those facing hunger.
RCU is also collaborating with A Simple Gesture (ASG), a nonprofit startup, to expand and introduce a “porch-to-pantry” doorstep food collection model for North Bay communities and San Francisco. Community members can sign up to donate at any RCU branch or online at this link. On Dec. 13, volunteers will pick up the shelf-stable food from donors’ homes and deliver them to local food banks and pantries.