Global Values, Local Roots: Celebrating the Cooperative Impact of Credit Unions
Small things can make the biggest difference. As part of the credit union movement, we’ve known this for a long time. Credit unions are rooted in the heart of our communities, but our impact is known around the world.
And in October, we take special care to highlight that impact through two special celebrations of our movement – International Credit Union (ICU) Day, which celebrates the worldwide cooperative movement we’ve built, and CU Kind, which focuses on grassroots kindness and community service.
ICU Day
For 77 years, on the third Thursday of October, credit unions have been celebrating ICU Day to commemorate our movement’s history and achievements. The theme of ICU Day for 2025 is “Cooperative for a Prosperous World,” which brings recognition to the United Nations’ declaration of this as the International Year of Cooperatives – something we’re all very familiar with in the credit union world.
Throughout our history, credit unions have been a huge driver of people helping people, and based on that philosophy, giving members across the globe the opportunity to achieve prosperity and well-being through cooperative finance. But how do we do that? It’s our commitment to community and our propensity to enact positive economic and social change through our cooperative principles.
With collaboration – not profits – at the forefront of what we do, we’re able to provide access to affordable financial services for members, no matter where in the world we are. We do that by offering lower rates, a better member experience and a democratic structure where each member has a voice, among other things.
On ICU Day 2025, which will take place on October 16, let’s share our impact with the entire world, so they can see that credit unions are part of something bigger – the chance for people everywhere to access financial wellness and, ultimately, make their dreams come to fruition.
Learn how you can celebrate ICU Day on the World Council of Credit Unions website.
CU Kind
While ICU Day celebrates credit unions through a global lens, CU Kind brings us back to our roots – getting active in the community. CU Kind is a regional initiative of the CrossState Credit Union Association that encourages credit unions in New Jersey and Pennsylvania to spread kindness through service, donations and education – showcasing the cooperative spirit that defines the credit union movement.
Throughout the month of October, credit unions are encouraged to participate in this initiative by harnessing the power of creativity and community impact with unique acts of kindness, whether that be volunteering for a local organization, donating money/meals/supplies or hosting financial education opportunities. Then, share your efforts on social media using hashtag #CUKind.
The concept of CU Kind and demonstrating credit unions’ special brand of kindness started at a credit union in Minnesota and has expanded to credit union leagues across the country, even going beyond just a single day and becoming an extended celebration of giving back over the entire month of October.
How will you celebrate CU Kind? For more information and to sign up, visit the CrossState Credit Union Association’s CU Kind page.
Credit unions may have gotten our start in the small, “Main Streets” of our communities, but the power of our movement is so mighty, it spans the globe. With nearly 75,000 credit unions in 104 countries and a collective membership in excess of 411 million people, it’s easy to see how little acts of cooperation and kindness can make a big difference.
From our uniting principles of cooperation, financial inclusion and member empowerment to our grassroots mission of serving people and being present in our communities, credit unions are always worthy of celebrations like ICU Day and CU Kind…and beyond!
Share everything your credit union is doing for #ICUDay and #CUKind on social media. We can’t wait to see!
As the VP of sales, marketing and education for Vizo Financial, Jaime Agostino oversees marketing, sales and educational offerings for the Corporate. Ms. Agostino holds a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from the Pennsylvania State University. She currently holds her Series 7 (Registered General Securities Representative) and Series 63 (Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination) investment licenses from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and has also achieved the following professional designations: Certified Trade Show Marketer (CTSM), Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE), SIE - Securities Industry Essentials Examination, Inbound Marketing Certified and Content Marketing Certified.