Fill It Forward, a Canadian company that aims to reduce the amount of single-use waste, recently selected Middletown-based People’s Credit Union with its Changemaker Award for a fundraiser that also had an environmentally friendly theme, encouraging people to use reusable water bottles instead of tossing them in the trash after one use.
Courtney Hunter, head of People’s community development, spoke about the unusual fundraiser.
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PBN: Can you explain how the fundraiser worked with reusable water bottles? Which organization made a donation to the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in Newport when refills were logged?
HUNTER: Our goal was to contribute to the reduction in single-use waste while helping a local nonprofit. We distributed Fill It Forward reusable water bottles to employees, members and the community. Every bottle included a free Fill It Forward app with a QR code. Each time someone refilled their water bottle and scanned the QR code, a donation rolled up to our charity of choice, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center. People’s Credit Union funded 100% of the project, which ultimately resulted in a $10,000 donation to the center.
PBN: Where did this idea come from? Has People’s done a program like this previously?
HUNTER: Our initial inspiration was from a colleague that had a Fill It Forward water bottle on her desk from her “BE KIND by ellen” subscription box. When asked about the bottle, she explained how the program worked. It seemed intriguing and a good fit for some of the activities we were looking at to celebrate our centennial last year. Many of our ideas come from collaboration among colleagues throughout the credit union.
We had not previously participated in a program like Fill It Forward. However, People’s Credit Union has a long history of unique partnerships. We support several local nonprofits with missions that align with our community impact priorities, including environmental sustainability and stewardship, and our employees participate in monthly “Casual for a Cause” days by making donations that support these organizations.
PBN: Why is the Changemaker Award important to People’s Credit Union?
HUNTER: Receiving the Changemaker Award was an honor, of course. Above all, we were humbled to partner with the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, which plays such an important role in our community by providing essential services to those in need. Our Fill It Forward project specifically supported the MLK Jr. Center’s hunger assistance programs.
PBN: Are there any other initiatives – or anything in the works – surrounding environmental sustainability at the credit union?
HUNTER: We have great new opportunities to explore. Our state’s natural resources are precious, and we are lucky to have so many local nonprofits that are focused on protecting the environment. Last year, we had 100% volunteer service participation by our employees and many of the opportunities for our team to contribute their time and talent were with these amazing organizations.
PBN: Does an initiative such as this make a difference for People’s Credit Union in terms of attracting new members and new business?
HUNTER: It is always our hope that individuals, families and businesses choose to bank with us because we are a local financial institution that has been serving the community for over 100 years. Initiatives like our Fill It Forward project help to demonstrate that as part of our corporate culture, we strive to help make the world a better place. And that resonates with many.
