Advia Credit Union Employees Donate More Than 400 Hours to Salvation Army

Parchment, MI – Advia Credit Union is helping to make the season a little brighter in the regions it serves by collecting toys through a Salvation Army Angel Tree Campaign and organizing volunteer shifts and paid time off for its employees to help distribute those toys to families in need.  
In mid-December Advia staff delivered nearly 1,000 toys to seven Salvation Army sites - toys that were donated by its members and employees through an Angel Tree campaign which offered toy tags in the lobbies of its 26 branches in Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois.  The Credit Union then organized 4-hour shifts for over 90 Advia staff who volunteered over 400 hours at the Salvation Army Toy Shops where they stocked toys, helped parents choose toys for their children, and helped carry them to their vehicles. 
“The opportunity to serve others and to give of myself and my time was as much of a blessing to me as I’m sure it was to those whom we served,” says Ashley Beck, a Digital Channel Administrator with Advia. “For me, it really put into perspective the true meaning of Christmas.” 
In 2015 Advia introduced a new Staff Advia ACTION (Advancing Community Ties In Our Neighborhoods) Volunteer program that encourages its employees to take paid time off from work to volunteer at charities of their choosing. The credit union is committing 8,500 paid hours for its full and part time staff to support community organizations per year. 
The volunteer program has been embraced by Advia employees. “The Advia ACTION Volunteer program is amazing,” says Karelyn DeBoer Meert, Accounting Specialist, who used 21 ACTION hours at four different events throughout the year.  “Working for a company that cares about the community where their employees live and work gives me a huge sense of pride.  Also, volunteering with your coworkers gives you unity and builds relationships and memories with each other.” 
Named one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work for in 2016, Advia Credit Union’s mission is to provide financial advantages to its members. With over $1 billion in assets, Advia seeks to provide the quickest and easiest solutions available to maximize the financial value to 130,000 members in Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois. Advia’s team of over 400 professionals deliver excellent service and innovative financial products at 26 branch locations via digital and mobile platforms. Advia is guided by its core values: driving progress, acting with integrity, building and strengthening relationships and keeping people at the core.  Experience the advantage by visiting www.adviacu.org.