For the 8th consecutive year, Metro Credit Union (MCU) employees came together to create Thanksgiving baskets for those in need during the holidays. Departments collaborated to shop for, organize, decorate, and deliver 35 large baskets stocked with all the traditional staples of a bountiful Thanksgiving dinner, each accompanied by a $25 Market Basket gift card donated by Metro for the purchase of a turkey.
“The generosity of our employees is overwhelming. They embody the credit union philosophy of ‘people helping people’. It’s just one way that Metro helps families during the holidays and our employees look forward to it every year,” said Charlene Bauer, Metro’s Chief Development Officer, SVP Outreach and Advocacy.
This year, the benefitting nonprofit was People Helping People in Burlington, MA. PHP is an umbrella organization overseeing the Burlington Community Food Pantry, the Burlington Covenant for Basic Needs and the Holiday Program. The pantry is available to any Burlington resident who meets certain financial qualifications to be eligible for assistance. Clients are paired with a volunteer who brings them through the pantry and assists them in selecting food, with a certain number of items allowed per category. Currently, the pantry serves between 120 to 130 Burlington families per month, or around 350 people. While the majority of those served are adults, 35 percent are children and 11 percent are seniors.
“This is just amazing! I can’t wait to see the families faces when they see these baskets. We’re grateful for the generous donation and the creativity that went into them.” said Jane McIninich, Pantry Coordinator for People Helping People.
Metro Credit Union is the largest state-chartered credit union in Massachusetts, with over $2 billion in assets. Metro provides a full range of financial products to more than 200,000 members in Essex, Middlesex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Plymouth, Barnstable, Bristol and Worcester counties in Massachusetts, and Rockingham and Hillsborough counties in New Hampshire, as well as to employees of over 1,200 companies through its Metro@work program.
Founded in 1926, Metro currently operates branch offices in Boston, Burlington, Chelsea, Framingham, Lawrence, Lynn, Melrose, Newton, Peabody, Salem, and Tewksbury. Metro is also a Juntos Avanzamos (“Together We Advance”) designated credit union, an honor given to financial institutions for their commitment to serving and empowering Hispanic and immigrant consumers. Learn more at MetroCU.org