Campaign for Vermont Foodbank

In the spring of 2018, the Association’s Outreach Committee, in partnership with Vermont Foodbank, began developing a year-round, state-wide campaign through which all Association member credit unions could support the Vermont Foodbank’s mission to gather and share quality food so that no one in Vermont will go hungry.  The project was unveiled on Saturday, May 19th at the Association’s 71st Annual Meeting at Woodstock Inn.

Outreach Committee Members (2017-2018)

  • Carrie Allen, Chair (Heritage Family Credit Union)
  • Stacey Benoit (Members Advantage Community Credit Union)
  • Simeon Chapin (VSECU)
  • Lori Crowley (Vermont Federal Credit Union)
  • Julie Longfellow NorthCountry Federal Credit Union)
  • Cindy Morgan (New England Federal Credit Union)
  • Kylie Perry (Vermont Federal Credit Union)

A few weeks later, the Committee announced a contest to determine the name and logo of the newly created campaign.  Nine contest entries were received and later voted upon by dozens of employees and volunteers at all Vermont credit unions.

The Community Credit Union Project (CUP), submitted by NorthCountry Federal Credit Union‘s creative and branding team led by Director Julie Longfellow, received nearly 65% of all votes cast and won the contest. Julie’s initial concept and “elevator pitch”, which was designed and further developed by Julie’s team members Lynn Lantz, Morgan Salter, Erin Thompson, and Brian Jaffarian, clearly resonated with voters.

The Winning Elevator Pitch:  The Community Credit Union Project (CUP) describes the spirit of our effort in a way that’s easy to understand. The word “cup” nods to the issue of food insecurity. “CUP”, the acronym, adds the value of the credit union brand and could be expanded to encompass other credit union community initiatives in five, ten, or twenty years.

“Vermont credit unions know first-hand the incredible successes made possible through cooperation and collaboration,” Julie explained when she was informed of the voting results.  “As a long-time NorthCountry employee and member of the Association’s Outreach Committee, I’m thrilled that our team’s effort to create ‘The Community CUP’ was chosen by our peers to represent Vermont credit unions’ collective efforts to address hunger and food insecurity throughout our state.”

Overview, Purpose and Goals of The Community CUP Campaign

The purpose is to aid Vermont Foodbank, community food shelves, and local food pantries in their collaborative mission to end food insecurity throughout Vermont.  Designed to mimic a restaurant menu, the campaign offers a variety of “Starters”, “Main Courses”, “Chef’s Specialties”, and “Desserts” that can be implemented by credit unions of any size to help provide healthy and nutritious meals to Vermont families experiencing hunger.

Goals include tracking, recognizing, and communicating to consumers, legislators, and media the impact that Vermont’s credit unions collectively make toward relieving food insecurity throughout the state.

Be sure to visit this page in the coming weeks and months as The Community CUP Campaign for Vermont Foodbank gets rolling!

About Vermont Foodbank (from their website)

They are a member of Feeding America, and locally service over 153,000 Vermonters each year. They work with over 215 network and agency partners to provide nutritious food in each county in the state. The Vermont Foodbank opened its doors in 1986, and is based in Barre, Vermont, with additional warehouse locations in Rutland and Brattleboro.

Their full and part-time staff is aided by the help of thousands of community volunteers. These volunteers are individuals and groups that dedicate their time to making a difference right here in Vermont. Together, with their help, the Vermont Foodbank is able to sort, source, pack and distribute over 6 million pounds of food each year to their network to reach all corners of the state.