Financial 21 Community Credit Union, Valley Center, Calif., hasrecently participated in a special Habitiat for Humanity build. Aspart of the TEAM Volunteer program, ten staffers helped rebuild 18homes that were destroyed in the San Diego fires of 2003. Theestimated finish date is the end of 2005. Financial 21 employeesspent the day applying fire proof siding and roofing materials.GenFed Federal Credit Union, Akron, Ohio, has given back to localkids by ensuring they have new shoes through the Warm the Solesprogram. Under the direction of the Summit Chapter of the OhioCredit Union League, credit unions in Summit County joined forcesfive years ago to provide new shoes for children who may have neverowned new shoes before. Since then, GenFed has made this projecttheir primary focus and raised a total of $2,650.37 and 16 pairs ofnew shoes. MECU of Baltimore, Md., has donated over 2,000children's books to several Baltimore elementary schools includingCross Country, Ft. Worthington, Hamilton and Yorkwood ElementarySchools. For the past four years, MECU employees have collectedchildren's books for the students in the elementary schools withwhich it has partnerships. At the end of the school year, the booksare delivered to the schools and the students each select a book oftheir own to take home. St. Charles County Credit Union, St. Louis,Mo., has donated $19,000 to Family Support Services through “TheDrive to Touch Lives” fundraiser. Eight St. Charles County creditunions participated in the joint effort to raise capital for FamilySupport Services proposed 22,000 square-foot facility scheduled toopen in early 2006. Over two months, $20 donations were made foreach car loan closed in St. Charles County. Credit unions madeadditional in-kind contributions to reach a cooperative goal of$50,000 for the new facility. Participating credit unions include:Aerospace Community Credit Union, First Community Credit Union,Gateway Metro Credit Union, Healthcare Family Credit Union,Meridian Credit Union, Missouri Valley Credit Union, Vantage CreditUnion, and West Community Credit Union. Palisades Federal CreditUnion, Pearl River, N.Y. has donated $500 to the Pearl RiverInterfaith Coalition. The Pearl River Interfaith Coalition raisesmoney annually for its five Houses of Worship including St.Margaret's Roman Catholic Church, Beth Am Temple, NauraushaunPresbyterian Church, United Methodist Church and Good ShepherdLutheran Church. Palisades Credit Union has also renewed itscommitment this year to contribute an additional $2,500 to theCoalition. Robins Federal Credit Union, Warner Robins, Ga., hasraised $9,204.55 for The American Cancer Society during the RelayFor Life. Team Robins FCU placed second in terms of money raised.Funds raised will go toward cancer research and cancer educationprograms. The team theme of “Scare Cancer Away” helped the creditunion win one of the “Most Awesome Campsite ” awards at the HoustonCounty Relay For Life. Unison Credit Union, Kaukauna, Wis., hashelped three local school districts purchase Automatic ExternalDefibrillators (AEDs). Funds were donated to Little Chute HighSchool, Kaukauna High School and Wrightstown High School. An AED isan emergency medical device that assesses a person's heart rhythmand administers an electric shock to restore a normal rhythm in thecase of cardiac arrest. South Western Federal Credit Union, LaHabra, Calif., has awarded 15 Teacher's Helper grants of $150 eachto classes at four local schools: St. Gregory the Great, Lou HenryHoover Elementary, West Whittier Elementary, and Los Nietos MiddleSchool. Grants were awarded based on how a proposed project wouldenhance the education experience for students.The various winningprojects include field trips, book purchases and computer softwareupgrades.