Virginia Credit Union and Member One Donate Almost $1.5 Million to Local Causes, Invest $1.3 Million in Financial Education Initiatives

In 2025, Virginia Credit Union and its Member One division proudly demonstrated the credit union’s community engagement commitment by donating almost $1.5 million to local charities and community organizations, investing more than $1.3 million in financial education initiatives, and contributing more than 2,100 volunteer hours at local nonprofits and community organizations.

“Charitable giving and community engagement are central to who we are as an organization, and our efforts are a direct reflection of our caring, compassionate, and community-minded staff and board,” said VACU President/CEO Chris Shockley. “We’re also proud to work alongside dozens of community partner organizations and schools that align with our mission to support and amplify their good work.”

The credit union focuses its community engagement efforts on financial education, food security, children’s health and wellness, and community well-being. That strategic focus enables the credit union to have greater impact in areas that most closely align with its mission and position as a trusted community partner.

In total, VACU's award-winning financial education program reached 131,256 individuals in 2025 through in-person presentations, video-based resources, and customized programs for community partners.

Of that total, 73,362 people were reached through personal-finance-focused partner programs, web resources at vacu.org/learn, and the credit union’s newly launched Pay That Bill podcast. Thanks to a long-standing relationship with Richmond-based television station WWBT/NBC12, the credit union’s financial education segments aired in markets across the nation 1,398 times. The potential combined audience reach for those segments topped 603 million.

In 2025, the credit union also significantly expanded its financial education reach in markets served by its Member One division, launching more than a dozen new partnerships, including Kids Square Children’s Museum, the YMCA of Virginia’s Blue Ridge, and Goodwill Industries of the Valleys’ Roanoke-based Excel Center.

The credit union hosted its nationally recognized Financial Success for Women summit in Richmond and Roanoke in 2025, drawing a combined 500 women across the two full-day events featuring workshops, panels, and networking centered around financial wellness, empowerment, and leadership. The credit union has also gained recognition for innovative programming that serves vulnerable populations, including incarcerated individuals preparing for reentry into society and young adults aging out of foster care.

“Our financial education resources empower members to make financial decisions with confidence and to use the credit union’s consumer-friendly products and services to achieve greater personal financial success,” said VACU Senior Vice President of Financial Education Cherry Dale. “Financial education is a critical component of our mission to serve members, but we also know our programming is making our communities stronger and more resilient by enabling people to better understand and manage their money.”

The credit union’s charitable giving and community support, totaling almost $1.5 million, reached more than 50 partner organizations, nonprofits, and local schools. Food security initiatives were an important focus in 2025. The credit union donated more than $67,500 to food banks and food pantries from the New River Valley to Fredericksburg, and credit union staff contributed more than 200 volunteer hours at local food banks.

“We know that food insecurity is an ongoing concern in our communities, affecting many of our neighbors,” said Member One Market President Tim Rowe. “By supporting food security initiatives, we’re making a meaningful difference for the children, families, seniors, and veterans facing hunger and who may be struggling to put nutritious food on the table.”

The credit union's efforts to promote food security expanded in 2025, with VACU and Member One partnering with five Minor League Baseball teams on the popular Strike Out Hunger initiative, donating funds to local food banks based on strikeouts recorded by partner teams throughout the season.

Through an employee-led program that coordinates staff volunteer opportunities, VACU and Member One staff volunteered more than 2,100 hours to help nonprofits, community partners, and local schools. The credit union’s community service and volunteer efforts have garnered recognition throughout its service area, including awards from United Way of Greater Charlottesville, Chesterfield County Public Schools, and the Henrico County Department of Outreach & Engagement.

“So many of our local nonprofits and community groups depend on the time, skills, and talents of volunteers to fulfill their missions and to amplify the impact of their efforts,” noted VACU Learning and Development Manager Nathan Moubray, who coordinates the credit union's volunteer efforts. “Our volunteer initiatives are one more way we can make a difference.”