During one of my shifts in a branch, we had a member come in who looked absolutely distraught. I brought her to my desk and started talking to her. She told me her home had been recently broken into while she was working at night, and the intruders had ransacked her home. What’s more, they stole her bank account information and had drained her finances. She was shaken from the experience and was having trouble sleeping while the investigation was ongoing.
My colleagues and I offered her a Member Impact Loan, which are small, low-interest loans to OCCU members based on need and the member’s relationship with us. The funds from this loan helped her get by for a few weeks and afford medication to help her sleep. Then, our branch team banded together to buy her a new doorbell camera. That went a long way toward making her feel safe in her home again. She could leave for work without worrying about her home.
We were proud to make a difference in this member’s life! I’m grateful that OCCU empowers staff to help our community through actions like this, and that my colleagues were excited to go the extra mile.
Submitted on behalf of Caila Burgess, Ancillary Specialist at OCCU.
