Did you know it is International Credit Union Day?

It is because of Credit Unions and our growing Good Company network that charitable organizations, youth and community members can use the Do Some Good platform for free!

We want to acknowledge our Community Partners at Prospera Credit Union, Interior Savings and Valley First, a division of First West Credit Union - including Enderby & District Financial, a division of First West CU, Island Savings a division of First West Credit Union, and Envision Financial, a division of First West Credit Union.

Thank you for your commitment to your local communities!

My pal Jackey & I had a great time picking apples today with our friends Okanagan Fruit Tree Project Society. First West Foundation was proud to grant $10,000 from

the Valley First, a division of First West Credit Union Community Endowment to help expand the project from Central Okanagan right down to Oliver! We joined a fun group of volunteers & managed to clean a tree from the very top to bottom! Those apple bags get heavy! Kudos to our new friends for all they do to increase food security in our region.

Our #SimpleGenerosity Neighbourhood Grants program supports events & initiatives that are focused on building stronger, more connected communities! We are currently accepting applications for funding of up to $500. Here’s a new #SimpleGenerosity idea from a Valley First, a division of First West Credit Union community, the Central Okanagan Elizabeth Fry Society; Often for local youth that face food insecurity it goes hand in hand with sanitary product insecurity. At risk girls in Kelowna are often leaving school early or missing it entirely because feminine products are too expensive for them or their families to afford. Through our prevention groups we use funds/gift cards donated to us to ensure the youth in our programs have at least one healthy snack/meal per day in the program and access to sanitary products. Maintaining healthy hygiene is often something we take for granted but for some at-risk youth in our community it is hard enough to deal with daily life when you’re 14, let alone having to ask for help to obtain sanitary supplies. The funds will be used in order to provide nutritious snacks to the youth in our community that participate in our prevention programs and provide the necessary sanitary products.

Do you have an idea, event or initiative that is aimed a building a stronger community? Apply today on Do Some Good; https://t.co/tGoKWn5PBb

Congratulations to #SimpleGenerosity recipient from Valley First, a division of First West Credit Union, Doreen Smith! She directed her donation to the South Similkameen Museum Society. Doreen has been volunteering her time, energy and experience with the Museum for over forty years! In 1978 she became the third SSMS President, just three years after the Society was organized and took possession of its first premises, the original R.C.M.P. jail, BC Police station and Keremeos Village office. Doreen remained President until 2010 when she stepped down from the President’s position to become Treasurer, a position she holds to this day. Doreen was the President during the accumulation of most of their collection, a collection that eventually filled the Museum’s first home and precipitated a moved to larger premises in 2017. Having grown up and lived in Keremeos her whole life, Doreen is a walking, talking source of information about local history and family stories. In addition to her responsibilities as Treasurer, Doreen is a mainstay of the Society’s volunteer efforts. Doreen regularly attends monthly meetings and special events, is involved in hiring and directing our summer staff and can always be counted on to attend when they set up a booth to share the Museum at public events. Doreen is an exceptional volunteer and passionate supporter of local history. She works with an unrelenting dedication, a kindly smile and a twinkle in her eye! Thank you for inspiring us!

Know a volunteer doing good work in your community? Nominate them on Do Some Good today: http://bit.ly/2ouTm67

Help us celebrate community leadership and the volunteers that make BC great! Nominate a volunteer for #SimpleGenerosity and they could receive a $1,000 donation to a non-profit or charity of their choice. Our friends at Do Some Good have made it easy to nominate a volunteer for #SimpleGenerosity online. Check it out!

https://dosomegood.ca/simple-gen...