Columbia CU Helping to Drive Families Out of Poverty!

Columbia, MO - November 10, 2021 - Last year, Columbia Credit Union created “10 Turkeys and a Car,” hoping that by raffling 10 turkeys, members and the public would help raise money to provide one used car, (complete with basic insurance for a year, a car wash, oil change, etc.) to a local family in poverty selected by a local social service agency.

Donations flowed in so quickly that the credit union was able to provide two cars!

This year, Columbia CU set their sights higher, hoping to provide 12 used cars to help drive 12 families out of poverty.

Reliable transportation is often the critical link to allow parents to get to jobs, their children to doctors, and groceries from the market. With the help of a matching grant from the Heartland Credit Union Charitable Foundation and seven local companies, the goal has already been surpassed. 

When local donors heard the the project had national approval through the matching grant, they couldn’t say, “Yes!” fast enough!

Columbia CU is in the public phase of this year's campaign and will give away six donated turkeys before Thanksgiving and six before Christmas to encourage more donations.

"While we’ll take donations until the end of the year, we’ll wrap up the campaign on Christmas Eve by presenting a car to a family. We hope that “Drive Families Out of Poverty” will continue to grow next year," stated Mike DeSantis, Marketing Director. 

For more details and to donate visit https://my.cheddarup.com/c/12turkeysfor12cars