“Coins for a Cause” Hunger Initiative During Pandemic Earns Affinity Plus Statewide Community Service Award

Affinity Plus was recognized for the Coins for a Cause initiative this past winter. Coins for a Cause brought communities together to turn loose change into meaningful meals for Minnesotans experiencing hunger. Donations were matched 100 percent by Affinity Plus, and given to one of five local Feeding America food banks.

A total of $85,104 was donated to the food banks, which provides more than 250,000 meals for Minnesotans in need, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Affinity Plus also hosted other high-level initiatives in 2020/2021 to support the community, such as Tech Drive Tuesday and the Kickstart Campaign for the Polar Plunge.

“This is why we exist, and we are proud these efforts are making a difference.” said Dave Larson, President and CEO of Affinity Plus. “We are committed to building stronger communities in the state of Minnesota with programs such as Coins for a Cause, while helping individuals and businesses take the stress out of their financial and banking needs.”

Affinity Plus’s winning entry will advance to the national competition, where it will compete with community involvement projects from credit unions in other states.

The award is named in honor of Dora Maxwell, an early credit union pioneer, one of the original signers of CUNA's constitution at Estes Park, Colorado. Maxwell worked as an organizer for the movement's trade association (then called the Credit Union National Extension Bureau) and held numerous volunteer positions at the local and national level. In addition to organizing hundreds of credit unions, she developed volunteer organizer clubs and worked with organizations on behalf of the poor.