Affinity Plus Members Donate More Than $76,000 to Minnesota Organizations

ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With over $76,000 donated to local charities throughout 2012, members of Affinity Plus should be proud of their contribution in making a difference in the lives of people across Minnesota. The organizations that will benefit from these donations include Second Harvest Heartland, Special Olympics Minnesota, flood relief for the city of Duluth, the Affinity Plus Foundation, and the American Red Cross which includes a separate fund for Hurricane Sandy Relief.

The donations were made by members through the redemption of their Participation Rewards points. This program, available to all Affinity Plus members, allows members the option to redeem their points to donate money to the organization of their choice, including Second Harvest, Special Olympics, flood relief for the city of Duluth, the Affinity Plus Foundation, and the Red Cross. In 2012, Affinity Plus members donated more than 3.8 million points to the organizations, which were then turned into separate checks for the organizations with a total amount of points equaling $76,326.

The Participation Rewards program was created with the intent of awarding points to members for their overall participation in the credit union’s products and services. Members earn points based upon activity within their account, member referrals, participation in certain products and services, among other options. As points are earned, members then have the ability to redeem their points for several valuable features such as increasing a certificate rate, decreasing a loan rate, skipping a loan payment, or getting a free box of checks.

Among the redemption options is a feature that stands out among the rest, and exemplifies the credit union philosophy of people-helping-people. Members can choose to redeem their points to make donations to local organizations. With 50 points as the equivalent of $1, members can donate an unlimited amount of points.

“I could not be more proud to belong to a community of members who feel so passionate about helping others and demonstrate that passion by generously giving their points that could have otherwise been used for their own financial benefit. The cooperative spirit is alive and well, and because of their effort, countless people in communities across our state will receive the support they need and deserve,” said CEO and President of Affinity Plus, Kyle L. Markland.

About Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union

Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit cooperative that puts people first above profits. We are committed to empowering consumers – for knowledge, for understanding and to know there are alternatives that focus on the success of people, not the bottom line. Members of Affinity Plus receive maximum value through competitive rates, minimal fees, and unique, member –centric products and programs. Affinity Plus is the largest credit union in Minnesota with state-based assets and has 26 branches located throughout the state. With more than $1.3 billion in assets, Affinity Plus is based in St. Paul and is owned by more than 160,000 members. Through a broad range of eligibility criteria, almost anyone can become a member of Affinity Plus. Additional information is available at www.affinityplus.org or by calling 800-322-7228.