Gividends - giving has never been so easy!

Sometimes donating to a charity of choice can be a long and stressful process. First you have to pick a charity you wish to contribute to, then you have to decide how much and how often you would like to donate, and finally you have to hold yourself accountable for those funds and keeping track!

Well enough of all that work, HCCU is coming to the rescue! Beginning January of 2015, we are rolling out a GREAT new program that makes donating simple! Each month all depository accounts, such as a savings, club or money market, receive dividends. This new program is designed to automatically withdraw these dividends for you after they are posted, and donate them to a charity of your choice! We have a list of 10 great local & national charities to pick from, including Bay Area Humane Society, House of Hope, Beacon House, and Paul’s Pantry.  Every little bit helps, and if we all pool our dividends, just think of the difference we can make in our community!

I know setting this up may seem like a lot of effort as well, but really it’s simple! Stop in to either of the HCCU branches and speak with an MSR!  It’s as easy as filling out a quick enrollment form that tells us which charity you would like to donate to, what percentage of your dividends, and from which account.  From there, we take care of everything!  And when it comes to tax time, you can see the dividends you earned as well as your donations on your monthly statements, so keeping track is super easy!

Let’s kick off 2015 the right way, and start donating to our local community!

Post by: Emily P

The Credit Union Difference

There are tons of reasons to love your credit union!  Credit unions are a really unique business, and by belonging to a CU, you’re a part of something pretty cool.  Credit unions are member-owned financial cooperatives.  This means that as a member of the credit union, you’re also an owner.  You get a say in how we do things here!  Your credit union is run by a volunteer board of directors that is elected by the membership (that’s you!) in a democratic process – each member has one vote.  Our board members are also members of the credit union, so they have a unique interest in seeing the credit union succeed and grow.  They are also members of our local community, so they understand what it is like to live, work, and transact business in northeast Wisconsin. 

Credit unions are also not-for-profit.  Money that we make is returned to the membership in the form of higher deposit rates, lower loan rates, and lower fees.  So all that means is rather than pad the pockets of a handful of stakeholders, we pay our dividends to you, and pad YOUR pockets.  During the recession of 2008, credit unions as a group fared much better than the bigger banks, because credit unions had been doing business responsibly all along. 

You may have also heard it said that credit unions are "for people, not profits”.  “People helping people” is the credit union philosophy.  It is the principle on which all credit unions were founded, and it is how credit unions still do business today.  This is brought to life when we lend a member $500 to fill their propane tank for the winter, or when we help a member devise a plan to pay off medical debt from an illness.  On a broader level, we live this philosophy by offering financial education to our members and communities, participating in charity events, and sponsoring community events, in addition to serving the needs of our members.

       

To learn more about the credit union difference, visit www.asmarterchoice.org or the Wisconsin Credit Union Scorecard.

Happy International Credit Union Day!

International Credit Union Day has been celebrated since 1948.  The day was started to reflect on the history of credit unions and to promote our achievements.  It is meant to honor those who have dedicated their lives to the credit union movement and to bettering the lives of our credit union members worldwide.

This year's theme for the day is "Local Service, Global Good", and while we aim to live that mission every day, we wanted to do a little something extra today at Horizon Community Credit Union.  HCCU staff and members spent the morning putting together lunches for area non-profits, to be given to the people they serve and their volunteers.  

We would like to give a big thanks to those who helped us prepare the lunches, and to the volunteer and non-profit organizations in the area for the work that they do to improve our community.  

There are so many ways to make a difference!

It seems like more often than not there is always an organization or charity collecting money for fundraisers. It seems almost impossible to go through the line at the grocery store without being asked if you would like to donate. If you are like me you try to give every single time that you are asked because you want to help make a difference. Did you know that there are ways you can help that are as simple as doing your grocery shopping?

Box Tops for Education:  You can find box tops on hundreds of different items. I started paying attention to the items that I was purchasing and it’s amazing how many different items will have those special tops on them. I even saw them on binders that we purchased for our CU branches. All you have to do is clip the box tops from packages, send the box tops to your child’s school and the school will receive 10 cents per box top! That can definitely add up. Don’t have any children in school? That’s ok because someone you know probably does and would be happy to take them off your hands. Some businesses even have Box Top collection receptacles and will donate to local schools throughout the year. Visit http://www.boxtopsforeducation.info/ for more information and a list of participating products.

Labels for Education: Look for the labels for education on participating Product UPC and beverage/Sauce caps. Clip the labels from the item and donate to participating schools so that they can earn FREE education merchandise. Again, you will be amazed at the number of items that have these labels on them! There are even labels on BIC pens! Something that you probably use on a daily basis! Visit http://www.labelsforeducation.com/ for a list of participating products and more information.

Pop Tab Collection for Ronald McDonald House: Whether you are popping open an ice cold beer, a refreshing can of soda or opening a can of soup those little tabs can make a difference.  Look for special Ronald McDonald pop tab collection containers in the shape of a house at schools, community organizations and businesses in your area. You can also contact a Ronald McDonald house near you to ask about getting your own house for collection. Those tabs are recycled and turned into cash this helps the Ronald McDonald house pay the bills and gives families a place to stay while their children are in the hospital. It’s something so small that makes such a big difference. Visit http://www.rmhc.org/other-ways-to-help to find out how you can help this organization.

So the next time you are at the grocery store make sure to buy those items with the Box Top for Education and the Labels for Education. Think twice about recycling that can with the tab still on it. Something so simple can make a difference for some great organizations. 

Post by: Katie B 

If this conversation sounds familiar to you, we want you to share the love!

"The bank charged me $35.00 for insufficient funds in my checking account. They also sent the check back to the company I wrote it out to and they will probably charge me another $35.00. Ugh! I know it was my mistake.  I used my debit card but forgot to write down how much I spent.  But that money was supposed to be used for groceries and my public service bill, and now I'm going to be short this month!" 

Later that day, after talking to a member of Horizon Community Credit Union...

"What?! If I had an account at Horizon Community Credit Union I would have overdraft protection!? They pull the money from your savings (share) account to cover the overdraft check and only charge you a $5.00 fee! That's unbelievable! Only five bucks for my accounting error? Not a bad deal! That would have saved me money for my groceries and quite a bit of embarrassment! I’m definitely heading to Horizon CCU to open a savings (share) and checking account!"

Don't keep HCCU a secret!  One of the many benefits to being a credit union member is that credit unions are not for profit.  Rather than pad our own pockets, we return our earnings to our members in the form of higher deposit rates, lower loan rates, and lower and fewer fees.  Not only that, but the mission of Horizon Community Credit Union is to help our members success financially.  Credit unions don't exist to make only a few people rich; they exist to help their members and communities be more financially secure and money-smart.  Know someone who would be better off with our benefits and services?  We'd love to meet them!

Post by: Alice E  

Don't Tax My Credit Union!

Credit unions today hold a tax exempt status because they are designed to be run as a not for profit organization. This helps CU members achieve financial success by giving back profits in the form of dividends, and also by offering lower interest rates and fees on loans. But even though credit unions are exempt from paying corporate income taxes, credit unions do still pay taxes like property taxes, sales taxes, and employment taxes.  In Washington there are proposed bills to change these items as a part of an overall tax reform.

Essentially, a tax is added to credit unions, which will trickle down to its members in the form of more fees, higher interest rates, and lower dividends to accommodate the additional expense to the credit unions.

There currently is a ‘Don’t Tax My Credit Union’ initiative taking place to educate current and future members of credit unions of this possible change. Members are also encouraged to write letters to their representatives about the effects of these bills. To learn more about this initiative we have a direct link on our website as well as Facebook for Don’t Tax My Credit Union, www.donttaxmycreditunion.org.

Post by: Lindsey L

Seven...definitely more than a number!!!!!!!

Seven. The luckiest number…what do you think?

When rolling two standard dice (six sided), the probability that seven will come up is 1/6. Those are the best odds of any result. On the other hand, there are seven deadly sins (if you believe that), then there is the movie from many years ago, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” (now that would be an expensive ceremony!), and the infamous list from when I was younger put together by a comedian, “Seven words you can never say on television”. I won’t repeat those now, but suffice to say I have since heard them on the television, and I’m not happy about it. Then there are the most famous seven: Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy and Dopey!

So why do I keep on talking about seven? Because there are 7 Cooperative Principles that guide us. These principles date back to some of the earliest co-ops that formed in England in the 1800s. To this day, they still form the foundation on which cooperatives around the world operate. Horizon Community Credit Union is a cooperative and has adapted these principles to the financial needs and goals of our members. These 7 Cooperative Principles guide us in everything we do.

#1 Volunteer: we are open to anyone that is allowed by our membership charter. http://www.horizonccu.com/joinhccu.php

#2 Democratic: we are democratically run, controlled by our members.

#3 Economic: members contribute equally to the capital of the cooperative and recognize benefits in proportion to the extent of their financial transactions and general usage.

#4 Independence: we are controlled by our members, not outside shareholders.

#5 Education: cooperatives provide education and training for members, elected representatives, managers, and employees, so that they can prosper and contribute to the growth and well-being of the cooperative.

#6 Cooperation: cooperatives serve best when working with others in the cooperative movement.

#7 Community: while focusing on member needs, giving back and developing community is something we take very seriously.

We are a cooperative. We are your credit union!

Post by: Pat J

Hey book lovers - we have something you are going to LOVE!

Maybe you've already heard of the Little Free Library®, but maybe not. It was started right here in Wisconsin (Hudson to be specific), and it’s a nonprofit that promotes literacy, a love of reading, and brings communities together by building free book exchanges worldwide. It’s just one giant book exchange. You take a book, you leave a book. It’s that simple!

Well guess what, now each of our branches has a Little Free Library® of its’ own! The next time you are visiting us, check it out! They are right in the entrance of each branch. If you have any books that you’ve read and would like to share with others, bring them along, leave them in the library, and take some new books to read.

If you’d like to learn more about the program, find out how to get a Little Free Library® of your own, or if you want to check the map to see where other Little Free Libraries® are located (there are thousands located all over the world), check out their website - http://www.littlefreelibrary.org/®.

“The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” - Dr. Seuss

Post by: Cari J

The Credit Union Difference

You may think that there is no real difference between a credit union and a bank. You can submit cash and checks for deposit or withdrawal. You can open financial savings products through both of these institutions such as savings, checking, or money market accounts. You can also receive loans through both banks and credit unions. So what is the difference? From the outside looking in, both institutions seem very similar.

                 

Here at HCCU, and at all credit unions, each of the members is an owner of said credit union, while banks are owned by investors who may or may not be depositors. Since the members are the owners, they each have one vote in electing board members who help to make decisions for the credit union. The board members of these credit unions are not paid; they are volunteers who represent the diversity of the membership. Credit unions spend much of their focus on consumer loans, savings products, and providing essential services needed by the membership. On the other hand, banks focus primarily on commercial loans and big business accounts that generate significant income.

                

Why should I do my banking with a credit union? The answer is simple.  Credit unions are nonprofit organizations whose earnings are paid back to the members in the form of higher savings rates and lower loan rates, leaving more money in YOUR pocket. According to the NCUA the average credit card interest rate for banks is 1.29% higher than credit unions. Also while credit unions are not careless with the loans they give out, they tend to be easier to borrow from than megabanks. Finally, the customer service at credit unions is more personable than banks with a larger clientele, making for a better experience every time you come in to make a transaction.

Become a member of a credit union today!

Post by: Matt K