This summer, more than 4,000 residents across five counties took a proactive stance against fraud and identity theft—a 37 percent increase from 2024. They protected their personal information by participating in Redwood Credit Union’s free Shred-a-Thons in Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma counties, securely disposing of old financial records and paperwork.
Shred-It trucks were onsite at each event to help communities safely dispose of and recycle 110,880 lbs. of documents. And Conservation Corps of the North Bay collected 28,805 lbs. of e-waste, including old TVs, printers, monitors, computers, and other personal electronics for secure recycling. To put that in perspective, by recycling the shred collected, the events saved a total of 948 trees and 387,810 gallons of water.
“These events empower members of our community to take control of their financial security while also making a positive environmental impact,” said Matt Martin, senior vice president of community and government relations at RCU. “It’s incredibly meaningful to be part of something that safeguards so many people against identity theft and keeps harmful waste out of our landfills.”
Redwood Credit Union is committed to information security and helping people protect themselves from fraud. In addition to offering these annual Shred-a-Thons, RCU has a robust online fraud education center with helpful articles and videos on how to avoid fraud, scams, and identity theft.
At each Shred-a-Thon location, attendees had an opportunity to donate to a local nonprofit. In total, the events raised more than $13,000 to support the Lake County Child Care Planning Council, Redwood Empire Food Bank, SchoolsRule Marin, Plowshares in Mendocino, and Puertas Abiertas Community Resource Center in Napa. That represents an 89 percent increase in donations over 2024. At the Santa Rosa event, 345 pounds of food was also donated to a local food bank.