Giving Back

UMCU is a proud sponsor of the Michigan Medicine C.S Mott Children’s Hospital and Genesys Hospital’s Pediatric Department. During the 2020 holiday season, UMCU collected more than $7,600 in donations thanks to the generous hearts of our members and team members. This annual toy drive is a favorite of UMCU team members and a prime example of our philanthropic spirit.

During our 2021 Shop Local Give Local campaign, UMCU teamed up with more than 100 local businesses to donate $5,000 to SOS Community Services (SOSCS). According to SOSCS, this donation went towards responding to 1,300 requests from local families facing food insecurity with groceries from its food pantry.

"We are so glad that our friends at UMCU share our commitment to ending homelessness and hunger in Washtenaw County. Thank you UMCU and thank you to all the local businesses and their customers who help make our community a great place to live for everyone,” said Rhonda Weathers, SOS Community Services’ Executive Director. 

“I think that when a company like UMCU chooses to focus on the community in the way that they have, it encourages others to follow that lead and really tap into the great local businesses surrounding them. UMCU has put an important and needed spotlight on local small businesses and given tremendous effort to spreading the word about us. That support means the world to a small business and it's nice to know another company sees you as a valuable asset in the community,” said Jen McPherson, owner of McPherson Local.

Every year, our summer interns are tasked with creating a meaningful way to give back to the community. Our 2018 summer interns launched a food drive benefiting Food Gatherers, a Washtenaw County-based non-profit organization dedicated to alleviating hunger in our community. During this drive, team UMCU donated more than 685 pounds of food – equivalent to 570 meals – for families in need. The drive concluded with a day of action, providing UMCU team members an opportunity to work at the Food Gatherers warehouse, preparing food for delivery!

American Heart Association Heart Walk: Every year, UMCU partners with Michigan Medicine to raise funds for the American Heart Association to help fight heart disease and stroke in the community. Our team members and UMCU members help contribute to the fundraising as well as participate in the annual Washtenaw County Heart Walk/Run.

United Way Stuff the Bus: This year, UMCU donated $1,500 worth of school supplies to United Way of Washtenaw County’s Stuff the Bus Event! 

UMCU is committed to the health and growth of our community. Each quarter, UMCU supports a different local charity that is making a positive impact by spreading awareness about the charity’s mission and collecting donations from our team members and members. 
 
UMCU’s current Give Back Charity is CS Mott Children’s Hospital Mott Toy Store – Your donations help CS Mott Children’s Hospital bring cheer to the Little Victors year round but, this time of year in particular, they help make the annual “Mott Toy Shop” possible. Many of the parents of the Little Victors are reluctant to leave their child’s bedside for five minutes, let alone enough time to brave crowded stores for holiday shopping. Many also feel the weight of financial challenges. The Mott Toy Shop helps these parents still give their child a holiday experience even while spending their holiday in the hospital.
 
UMCU is collecting new toys at various branches including: Carpenter, Jackson, State, Plymouth, William, South U, Bristol, and Dearborn
 
Can’t make it to a branch to drop off a donation? We also have the option to purchase items online and have them shipped directly to UMCU.
 
Check out the Amazon list is linked here for those who would like to contribute that way.