Community Involvement: Your Membership Helps Support Local Kids

Dec. 20, 2018

Thank you to all of our employees and members for making 2018 a great year. Here are a few of the local organizations we were able to support with your help.

Backpack Giveaway for Lent

Schoolhouse Supplies is a nonprofit that provides free school supplies to local public school students in need. That’s a mission we support. We sponsored their backpack giveaway so the kids at Lent K-8 School could start the school year with the supplies they needed to focus on learning.

Parkrose High School Financial Reality Fair

Financial education is vital to help the next generation understand and manage their money. In October, our team organized an interactive Financial Reality Fair where we helped Parkrose students experience the real-life financial challenges they may face after graduation.

Students received a sample career and salary. They visited booths to buy basics like housing, as well as temptations like travel packages. Then they each met with a financial counselor to review how well they lived within their budget.

Prescott Elementary Carnival Sponsorship

Prescott students sent us a sweet thank you card for sponsoring their carnival.

Food, Clothing and Toy Drive for Margaret Scott Elementary

In early December, we collected donations for Margaret Scott Elementary School students. At this Title I School, 40% or more of the students are from low-income families and 13% are homeless.

Thanks to First Digital employees and members, these kids will be able to open presents and have food to eat on Christmas and over winter break. Our employee LuAnn even donated 40 winter hats crocheted by her mom to keep the kids warm.

Sparrow Clubs Sponsorship at Parkrose Middle School

The Sparrow Clubs program empowers kids to help kids in medical need. We have partnered with Parkrose Middle School to sponsor their Sparrow, Owen.

Owen is a five year-old who loves running, climbing and superheroes. He has a rare disease called Ataxia-Telangiectasia (A-T), a genetic disorder that causes trouble with speech, eye movement and gross and fine motor activities. Kids with A-T typically have immune system problems and a high risk of cancer.

Last summer, Owen was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. He was unable to start kindergarten, but he continues to fight. Parkrose students are raising money for Owen through sponsored community service and fundraising.

Check out the Sparrow Clubs to see if you can bring this program to your local school and help more kids like Owen.