Nusenda Credit Union employees participate in Season of Giving

Nusenda Credit Union employees from around New Mexico participated in a companywide philanthropic effort, the 2020 Season of Giving, by contributing items and more than $19,600 in monetary donations to 14 community organizations serving Santa Fe,

Albuquerque and northern and southern New Mexican communities. The Season of Giving included four phases:

■ Nusenda and its employees kicked off with its fifth annual Community Day in October, shiftingto a COVIDfriendly plan. They selected seven organizations to help. Together, 156 employees, along with a Nusenda contribution, donated more than $25,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central New Mexico, El Centro de Igualdad y Derechos, New Mexico Tech Performing Arts Series, Paws and Stripes, Silver Horizons, Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico and Growing Up New Mexico (United Way of Santa Fe County).

■ Nusenda’s Season of Giving continued in November with employee support for organizations that help people experiencing homelessness across the state. Some 660 items valued at more than $2,000 were donated to New Day Youth & Family Services, Esperanza Shelter, Heading Home and Socorro Consolidated Schools. In addition, Nusenda donated $2,000 to each organization, bringing the total donation to more than $10,000; more than $2,500 in employee contributions were also placed in a general fund to split between those organizations that received the fewest donated items.

■ December’s Season of Giving focus was on New Mexicans experiencing hunger. Nusenda employee and credit union contributions to Roadrunner Food Bank and The Food Depot totaled more than $8,200.

■ The Season of Giving wrapped up with donations to the University of New Mexico’s Children’s Hospital Toy Drive. Employees purchased requested wish list items, dropped off toy donations, and made monetary contributions. In all, 520 toys and $4,500 in donations were given to Children’s Hospital patients and families.