SELCO's Community Involvement Resources

Employee Volunteerism

Partners In Building a Better Future For Our Community. Be a Mentor!
A mentor’s friendship and encouragement improves students’ grades, self-esteem, and school attendance.

Ann Carpenter, (right), 26-year SELCO employee and 4-year reading mentor, shown with Cydney Vandercar, Principal at Spencer Butte Middle School.

SELCO partnered with Guy Lee Elementary in Springfield to create their Lunch Buddy Program, where mentors meet with students during the lunch hour to develop and nurture long-lasting relationships. For more information or to volunteer, contact Mark Ripley at 744-6391.

Please join SELCO in supporting mentorship at Guy Lee Elementary or through these other rewarding school district programs in our community:

Eugene School Disctrict 4J
Middle School Lunch Mentor Program
Contact Rob Stein at 954-7535

E3 Oregon Literacy Partners
Reading Mentor Program
Eugene School District 4J
Contact Eliza Drummond at 687-3631

or

Springfield School District 19
Contact Bob Helm at 514-9913

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SELCO's Community Day of Caring.
SELCO empowers its employees to make a personal difference by encouraging them to volunteer their time and expertise, and providing education and resources to help them connect with volunteer opportunities in their neighborhoods. 

Employees generously volunteered over 2000 hours of their time in 2007.

To emphasize the value of volunteerism, SELCO’s Community Involvement Team organizes an annual “All Team Day of Caring,” paying employees on a regularly scheduled federal holiday, Columbus Day, to come together and serve others. Eighteen non-profit agencies were provided support in 2007 through this team building event.

Mini-Grants

SELCO Community Credit Union’s Mini-Grant program accepts grant requests for classroom projects from K-12 educators in Lane, Deschutes, Linn, Benton, Marion and Polk counties.  The SELCO Mini-Grant program began in 1993 as a symbol of SELCO’s intention to reach out to our communities and partner with schools in a meaningful way.

Mini-Grants are available for up to $250.  Each Fall SELCO reviews each request submitted and makes funding choices.  Final determinations are made at SELCO’s discretion and decisions are strongly influenced by specific criteria which is updated each Fall.  Please check our website in October for application availability.

Projects should be:

• Innovative and creative.
• Designed to include as many students as possible in the current school year.
• Designed to have the ability to contribute to student learning in subsequent years.
  
  

Projects which will not be funded:

• Field Trips
• Guest Speakers
• Faculty Travel
• Projects that provide prizes, incentives, or rewards for student performance.

PLEASE NOTE: 

• Teachers may submit only one request per year.
• If multiple teachers are working together on one project, only one submission will be allowed and only one grant will be awarded.

In 2007, 130 educators received funding up to $250 each for innovative classroom projects which without SELCO’s help would not have been possible.

Sponsorships and Donations

SELCO Community Credit Union believes in giving back to the communities in which they serve and operate.

As a partner in education, we take great pride in helping to enrich the lives of students from elementary school through college.

Through the support of non-profit organizations and agencies, we reach out to:

• Youth
• Seniors
• Public service and environmental organizations
• Military and veteran groups
• And many others

Requests are considered on a one-by-one basis and reviewed once a month.  Donations are most likely granted if:

• The requesting agency has a 501(c)3 IRS tax code classification.
• The activity is youth-related.
• The activity is educational or health-oriented.
• Activity costs are not primarily travel-oriented.
• The results of the activity affects others in a positive way.
• The activity is a pilot project.
• The activity promotes an alcohol and drug-free event.

SELCO does not consider requests that involve:

• Religious activities.
• Political activities.
• Travel and entertainment.
• Purchases of products (usually tickets) whereby the non-profit receives a percentage less than 75% of the money raised.
• "Club" activities or events.

To be considered for a SELCO donation, requests must be in writing and include:

• A brief budget for the organization.
• An explanation of what purpose the organization serves.
• An explanation of how SELCO’s funds will be used.

Please submit your proposals to:

Jan Burch, Director of Community Involvement
SELCO Community Credit Union
P.O. Box 7487
Eugene, OR 97401

Fundraising Efforts

2007 Holiday Efforts:

• A “Foster Care Toy Drive” was held during the months of November / December in cooperation with other credit unions and businesses in Lane County. Over 1,000 children in Lane County foster care homes received a gift at their annual holiday party as a result.

• Holiday Beanie Babies were sold in the months of November/ December to provide needed food supplies for the needy over the holidays!  Over $3000 was sent to FOOD for Lane County as a result of this fundraising effort! A special note:  Many members purchased multiple Beanie Babies and immediately donated them to the Foster Care Toy Drive barrel as they left the credit union!  Such generosity and compassion is so inspiring!

• Entertainment Books were sold in our branches throughout 2007, and sales netted a grand total of $3,840.  These funds were split evenly between the Boys and Girls Clubs of America in each of SELCO’s branch communities, providing $768 to each center.

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2007 Holiday Outreach Wrap-Up

The compassion and generous spirit of SELCO Community Credit Union’s staff and members was evident in every SELCO branch this holiday season.

• Eight families were “adopted” for the holidays and received gifts, stockings with goodies for the children, and either gift cards to help buy groceries or food for a holiday dinner.
• Departments banded together and members united to fill Foster Care Toy Drive Barrels.
• Barrels to collect food and supplies for pets in shelter care replaced the toy drive barrels and were up through the first week of January.
• Salvation Army, Relief Nursery and Soroptimist Club Christmas Tree Gift Tag Requests were all fulfilled, guaranteeing a happy Christmas for many children.
• Stars and Snowflakes could be purchased in branches to support Rising Stars Alliance and Ronald McDonald House Charities, both of which serve children with special needs.
• Food was collected for NeighborImpact Food Bank and Florence Food Share to create food baskets for community members in need.
• Beanie Babies were sold to raise funds for Food for Lane County – Nearly $4000 was raised!
• Holiday gifts were provided for every resident of a local retirement center.
• A tree was purchased and decorated to donate to a family who otherwise would not have had one for Christmas.
• Delicious treats were baked by employees to take to a women’s shelter for the holidays.
• A box of supplies and treats were put together to send to one of our fighting soldiers!
• SELCO proudly sponsored two FREE Christmas Dinners for two very important groups:
  
  
  1. The annual Veteran’s Holiday Dinner, providing a free meal to all Veterans and their families, and
  2. The annual Senior Holiday Dinner on December 25th for seniors who have no families and no place to celebrate the holidays. In addition, presents were purchased to help ensure each senior had a treat to take home with them.
     
  
  
  

Thank you to SELCO members for your generous holiday spirit!

• Because you contributed toys to the “Foster Care Toy Drive” during the month of December, over 1,000 children in Lane County foster care homes received a gift at their annual holiday party.
• Over $3000 was sent to FOOD for Lane County because of the many Holiday Beanie Babies purchased in November and December! These proceeds funded much needed food supplies for the needy over the holidays.
• *A special note:  Many members purchased multiple Beanie Babies and immediately donated them to the Foster Care Toy Drive barrel as they left the credit union!  Such generosity and compassion is so inspiring!
• 2007 Entertainment Book sales netted a grand total of $3,840.  These funds were split evenly between the Boys and Girls Clubs of America in each of SELCO’s branch communities, providing $768 to each center.

Thanks for helping to make so many lives so much better!