CO-OP Financial Services Miracle Match Program Raises $3.1 Million for CMN Hospitals

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., A total of 170 credit unions participating in the 2014 Miracle Match by CO-OP program raised a record $3.1 million for Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals, $1 million of which was matching funds provided by CO-OP Financial Services. "We established Miracle Match by CO-OP in 2008 as a way to encourage Credit Unions for Kids fundraisers," said Stan Hollen, President/CEO of CO-OP Financial Services. "We are approaching 20 years of involvement with Credit Unions for Kids having supported it since it was founded in 1996 and it is very satisfying to see a new record set in our most recently completed year." Credit unions interested in applying for matching grants in 2015 under the Miracle Match by CO-OP program may do so by visiting www.co-opfs.org/miracle-match. Significant milestones of the 2014 matching program include:

• 190 fundraising events were matching by CO-OP;
• This total includes 34 Shop for Miracles events, held on International Credit Union Day, October 16, 2014, raising more than $84,000;
• 170 credit unions participated in the program;
• For 69 of these credit unions, it was their first year of participation;
• 110 CMN Hospitals benefited in 41 states; and
• $2,089,631 was raised by credit unions, with a $1 million match from CO-OP, bringing the total to just under $3.1 million.

"The Miracle Match by CO-OP program continues to play a vital role in the success and growth of the Credit Unions for Kids program," said Joe Dearborn, Senior Director, Credit Unions for Kids. "Events and campaigns that got their start because of the matching program years ago are still around today, raising critical funds for our CMN Hospitals across the U.S. I guess you could call it the gift that keeps on giving" In addition to the $1 million Miracle Match by CO-OP program, CO-OP donated a total of $138,000 to 11 credit union organizations as event sponsorships. Almost $58,000 was given to CMN Hospitals from employee payroll contributions and various fundraisers, including Miracle Jeans Day (September 10) and the THINK 14 Conference held in May in New Orleans. A further $20,000 came from candy bar sales in Michigan and District of Columbia shared branch locations. CO-OP also collaborated on a National Credit Union Foundation initiative, paying half the cost of all Biz Kid$ DVD box sets purchased by credit unions under a program to enhance the financial education of families at CMN Hospitals. CMN Hospitals recently said thank you to Credit Unions for Kids and CO-OP Financial Services through an electronic billboard that ran in Times Square in New York earlier this month. That story can be read on CO-OP blog, Insight Vault, here. For more information on Miracle Match by CO-OP, visit www.co-opfs.org/miracle-match. About CO-OP Financial Services Based in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and founded in 1981, CO-OP Financial Services is the nations largest credit union service organization in terms of number of credit unions, assets and members. The company helps credit unions thrive by providing products and services that make it more convenient for members to do business with them. With a motto of "Be There. Be More," CO-OPs products fall into three business lines, including "Locations," (ATM, shared branching and call center services); "Card Payments" (debit and credit processing) and "Mobile/Virtual" (mobile, online, check imaging, bill pay services). To learn more visit www.co-opfs.org.