UMassFive Receives Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award

HADLEY — UMassFive College Federal Credit Union has received the first-place Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award for 2023 in the state of Massachusetts.

This annual award is given out by the Cooperative Credit Union Assoc. and the Credit Union National Assoc. to honor a credit union for its social-responsibility projects within the community. UMassFive earned this award in recognition of its outstanding participation and fundraising for the UMass Cancer Walk and Run and Will Bike 4 Food.

A financial institution founded on community-based principles, UMassFive has cemented community engagement and giving back into its workplace culture. From frontline staff to executive leadership, the credit union takes pride in how employees can make a real difference through collaboration and volunteerism with local organizations that make their communities a better place.

For more than 20 years, UMassFive employees have participated in the UMass Cancer Walk, a fundraiser benefittng UMass Chan Medical School Cancer Center, where the credit union’s Worcester branch is located. Employee team leaders at each of UMassFive’s branches take charge of creating excitement and fundraising opportunities each year with creative collaborative events and craft sales. Team UMassFive has raised more than $173,000 for the UMass Cancer Center in the lifetime of its participation.

In 2020, fundraising efforts were expanded to include Will Bike 4 Food, a fundraiser that supports the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. Employees cycling and fundraising for this event have raised $12,783 in just three years, which provided 51,132 meals to neighbors in need.

“When it comes to the communities we serve, our employees see a need and work together to become part of the solution. The events that we choose to participate in have a direct and local impact on our community,” said Cait Murray, Community Outreach manager at UMassFive.

UMassFive also hosts various fundraising efforts throughout the year, including its annual coat drive, personal-care items drive, employee food drive, and support of local farms. Local community members are welcome to make donations to these drives to help support neighbors in need and are encouraged to reach out to marketing@umassfive.coop to let UMassFive know what causes and organizations are important to them.