CUNA GAC Attendees and Fiserv Give Back to Children’s Charities

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CUNA GAC Attendees and Fiserv Give Back to Children’s Charities

CUNA GAC Attendees and Fiserv Give Back to Children’s Charities

Fiserv, Inc., a leading global provider of financial services technology solutions, helped two children’s charities and the National Credit Union Foundation bring a spirit of service and giving to the 2020 CUNA Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC). Throughout the event, GAC attendees were invited to assemble food bags on behalf of Blessings in a Backpack and to make teddy bears for children of deployed members of the U.S. military in partnership with Operation Gratitude.

“Fiserv is committed to giving back to the communities where we live and work,” said Theo Curey, president, Credit Union Solutions, Fiserv. “The spirit of community service and giving back is foundational to credit unions, and GAC attendees from across the United States were eager to help children in need through these two initiatives.

“GAC advocates for the financial empowerment and well being of all Americans,” said Gigi Hyland, executive director, National Credit Union Foundation. “Fiserv is a strong credit union partner that believes in the purpose of our movement, and their development and execution of this initiative helped this year’s GAC attendees fulfill the philosophy ‘people helping people.’”

On behalf of Blessings in a Backpack, GAC attendees assembled bags filled with food for children in the Washington D.C. area who rely on school meals and don’t have reliable access to food during weekends. The nonprofit focuses on providing food on the weekends for elementary school children across the United States who might otherwise go hungry. Its efforts benefit nearly 87,000 children yearly.

“GAC attendees took our message about the importance of child food insecurity to heart, and many kids in the D.C. area will benefit directly,” said Nikki Grizzle, chief marketing officer, Blessings in a Backpack. “It was great to be on the ground with them doing good.”

In addition, as part of Operation Gratitude’s Battalion Buddies program,attendees made teddy bears to serve as companions for children whose parents are deployed with the U.S. Armed Forces. The non-profit seeks to forge strong bonds of support between Americans and their military and first responder heroes through volunteer service projects, acts of gratitude, and meaningful engagements.

“Fiserv is a strong supporter of service members and their families,” said Kevin Schmiegel, CEO of Operation Gratitude. “The bears made by GAC attendees will provide support and comfort to children of deployed troops who are serving far from home, while also reminding their parent in harm’s way that their loved ones are cared for by grateful Americans.”

The Give Back activity at GAC was inspired by Fiserv Gives Back, the Fiserv global corporate social responsibility program. The program supports the local communities where Fiserv associates live and work, with a focus on making an impact in areas of financial health, education, environmental stewardship, and health and wellness.