Congratulations to Northwest Federal Credit Union of Herndon – winner of the 2020 Governor’s Volunteerism and Community Service Award for Outstanding Corporation! Northwest Federal Credit Union has made a strong commitment to their community by implementing a powerful community service initiative called “Transforming Lives Through Acts of We.” By partnering with many local organizations, credit union staff have countless opportunities to serve and receive 24 paid volunteer hours per year. In 2018 employees volunteered more than 7,800 hours, and donated more than $120,000 to their community partners. At NWFCU, everyone, from the CEO down, enthusiastically volunteers, working side-by-side to get the job done. From “grunt” work to using their professional skills, they help us achieve our mission. NWFCU partners with their organization, Cornerstones, which provides wrap-around social services, including a homeless shelter, a food pantry, after-school programming and job-readiness training. NWFCU makes a meaningful difference through donations and volunteerism to us, other nonprofits and community entities within their employee- and member-identified focus areas. Just a few of the other Virginia organizations supported include Special Olympics Virginia, Veterans Moving Forward, Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, the Animal Welfare League of Arlington, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and many more. NWFCU provides regular volunteers at their homeless shelter. They have funded, prepared and served 1,080 nutritious hot meals and more than 700 bagged lunches for their sheltered and outreach clients. They also provided monetary support for these meals and gave more than $1,000 in new warm winter clothing and led a budgeting workshop for family clients. Cornerstones’ Youth Programs benefited greatly from NWFCU volunteers as well. Volunteers provided transportation and chaperoned a field trip to the Children’s Science Center, provided funding to host monthly educational enrichment events for under-resourced elementary and middle school-aged children, and provided $5,000 to supply students with materials and support STEAM programming and field trips. The good works of NWFCU and its volunteers have a ripple effect felt throughout the community. Their employees become great ambassadors for Cornerstones and the many organizations they serve, helping us spread the word about our various missions and needs. They fulfill roles that we could not otherwise provide with manpower and expertise. They don’t just “check the block” of corporate social responsibility, they live it! And they engage their friends and families as well. Read more Volunteer Stories! Submit a Story!