Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions launches disaster relief campaign

The Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions has launched Project Storm Break, a new annual campaign to raise money for disaster relief for credit unions.

The Worldwide Foundation, which is part of the World Council of Credit Unions, is seeking to raise a $100,000 reserve that can be tapped during the aftermath of a natural disaster.

“This is the first time we are proactively asking for donations from individuals and institutions who see value in getting ahead of the storm, because it’s not a matter of if, but when, the next disaster will strike,” Mike Reuter, executive director of the Worldwide Foundation, said in a press release.

Mike Reuter, executive director for Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions

Reuter said that previous relief campaigns normally fundraise in the wake of a disaster, which is not ideal given that people on the ground are suffering immediately after a storm. Having the resources on hand in advance of a storm allows disaster relief to be more proactive, he said.

Project Storm Break’s will formally launch at the 2019 World Credit Union Conference later this month. The Worldwide Foundation has raised over $350,000 since 2015 to assist CUs responding do natural disasters in Nepal, Ecuador, Dominica and Puerto Rico.

All donations will support international credit union systems, Reuter said in an email to the Credit Union Journal. The Worldwide Foundation leads international disaster relief response and support whereas the National Credit Union Foundation leads domestic disaster relief through CUAid.

The Indiana Credit Union League, Carolinas Credit Union Foundation, Unitus Community Credit Union and Jamaica Teachers Association Co-operative CU Limited have already supported the effort.

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Natural disasters Disaster recovery Crisis Management
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