Dr Bob Underwood (Host): Community involvement is one of the values that drives Heritage Federal Credit Union. Today, along with Kendall Hurt, Strategic Engagement Advisor for Heritage, we're exploring Heritage's collaborative spirit with local non-profits. Through stories and insights, we'll delve into the impact Heritage has on the community. Discover the profound significance of giving back and get a sneak peek into what Heritage has in store for 2024.

Welcome to the Talking Cents with Heritage Podcast. Today's podcast bridges the world of finance, community and the shared spirit of Making a Difference. I'm your host, Dr. Bob Underwood. Kendall, welcome. How are you today?

Kendall Hurt: Hi, Bob. I'm good. How are you doing?

Host: I'm doing great. Can you share some insights into Heritage's approach to community involvement and how it aligns with the credit union's mission and values?

Kendall Hurt: So at Heritage, community engagement is a central part of our identity as a credit union and a non-profit. So, we have re established our mission statement within the last year as part of our rebranding. And so, this new mission is to improve lives and simplify banking. And I like to think that my role has a close relationship with that first part, improve lives, because that doesn't mean improve only the lives of our employees or our members, but it means to improve the lives of those in the communities we serve, too. And we also have a social responsibility to support local organizations in our area. And our approach to this lies within our pillars of philanthropy, which just serves as a guideline for us to focus our efforts.

Host: I think that's phenomenal. I mean, you are a non-profit and work with other non-profits. I think it's incredible. And so, in what ways does Heritage collaborate with local non-profits?

Kendall Hurt: So historically, we give to over a hundred organizations each year in the community through donations and then event sponsorships. But aside from financial support, we have very active employees who volunteer regularly and participate on boards and committees of local organizations. So, we collaborate with local non-profits on both a monetary level and through participation.

Host: Can you share any specific success stories that you found were particularly impactful to the community, community engagement or other projects that Heritage has been involved in?

Kendall Hurt: I could talk about this one all day, but one notable example is our collaboration with the United Way of Southwestern Indiana. We've partnered with this organization for over five years now, most recently being the title sponsor for their annual Day of Caring. So, the Day of Caring is a community-wide day of volunteering. So, people all across the county and from different companies volunteer on this day. And Heritage actually had over 30 of our employees spend their day volunteering. United Way supports Upward Mobility, which is a mission that aligns with our own, and it's a cause near and dear to a lot of our employees' hearts.

Host: Yeah, absolutely. I've worked with United Way in a couple of things too, and they're just a great organization across the board. So, congratulations on doing that. So, why do you feel like it's important for Heritage to give back to its community?

Kendall Hurt: So, giving back to the community is essential for several reasons. But as a credit union, again, we have a social responsibility to support our community members in all socioeconomic classes. But not only can we make a social impact, we can build stronger communities. And giving back fosters a sense of interconnectedness and it encourages collaboration and ultimately just promotes goodwill among community members.

Host: So, what can we expect in 2024 from Heritage? Any big events, partnerships or anything else in the community?

Kendall Hurt: Oh, absolutely. So, this last year, we partnered with the University of Southern Indiana, in naming the Heritage Varsity Club Room. So, this is a courtside suite for VIP viewing in their new arena, which is an absolutely beautiful facility, by the way. But we're especially excited to partner with the University's Foundation in Athletics, because they recently transitioned into a Division I conference. So, this is a long-term investment to really demonstrate our commitment to the local community and to foster education and athletic programs. In addition to that, Heritage established, a scholarship for high school seniors and a robust internship program recently. So, 2024 will continue to focus on developing our local youth, particularly with those school systems.

Host: Congratulations on all of those endeavors. That's really investing in the future. That's wonderful.

As we wrap up this Talking Cents with Heritage podcast, we hope you've gained a deeper understanding of Heritage's unwavering dedication to the community and how that dedication resonates with their core values. Kendall Hurt offered some inspiring stories of Heritage Federal Credit Union's collaboration with local non-profits and offered a unique perspective about giving back to the community.

For more information, you can visit heritagefederal.org/about-us. And if you found this podcast to be helpful, please share it on your social channels, and be sure to check out the entire Talking Cents with Heritage podcast library. I'm your host, Dr. Bob Underwood.

Loans may be subject to credit review and approval, and property insurance may be required. Membership restrictions may apply. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Heritage Federal Credit Union.