Here’s something you don’t hear every day: a financial institution that actually walks the walk when it comes to community impact.
American Heritage Credit Union just got a well-deserved shout-out from South Jersey Biz for their commitment to making the local community a genuinely better place—and their track record speaks for itself.
Let’s talk numbers, because they’re pretty impressive. Back in 1996, American Heritage became the first credit union in the entire country to launch its own nonprofit—the Kids-N-Hope Foundation. Nearly three decades later, that foundation has raised more than $5.1 million and helped over 10,000 children. Not too shabby for a financial institution, right?
Small Change, Big Impact
The foundation focuses on pediatric health and life services, including music therapy programs at hospitals like the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and various local nonprofits. And here’s a clever twist: American Heritage runs something called the Penny-A-Purchase Program. Every single time someone swipes their American Heritage debit or credit card, one cent goes straight to the foundation. It might not sound like much per transaction, but those pennies add up fast when you’re talking millions of purchases.
Putting Money Where Their Mission Is
In 2025, the credit union pledged a quarter-million dollars to Jefferson Health—one of the region’s top health systems. That money is helping expand services at both the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Patient Support Center at Jefferson Torresdale Hospital in Northeast Philadelphia. That’s the kind of investment that changes lives.
Employees Who Actually Want to Give Back
What really sets American Heritage apart is how involved their team members are. The credit union has associate-led volunteer committees that employees can join, and people actually do. The Green Team runs environmentally-focused initiatives like highway cleanups, book drives, and clothing collections throughout the year. Then there’s the Adopt-A-Family Committee, which fundraises year-round to support Greater Philadelphia families during the holidays.
There’s also the annual Spirit of Giving Food Drive, where both employees and members donate nonperishable food items. In 2025 alone, they collected over 10,000 pounds of food for Pennsylvania and New Jersey food banks and pantries, plus kicked in a $50,000 monetary donation to several of their Workplace Partners.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be recognized for our community impact by a publication such as South Jersey Biz,” said Bruce K. Foulke, President and CEO of American Heritage Credit Union. “Community service is a value we hold dearly, and one that our associates live out every day. We’re proud to have associates and a membership that is always seeking out ways in which they can get involved to support our great communities.”
In a world where “corporate social responsibility” often feels like empty buzzwords, it’s refreshing to see an organization that’s been consistently showing up for their community for almost 30 years. The recognition from South Jersey Biz? Totally earned.
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