The App offers Patelco another way to connect with its members online, and engage non-members as well as employees in giving back this holiday season.
(PRWEB) November 04, 2013
For decades, credit unions like Patelco Credit Union have successfully raised millions of dollars for causes through Point of Sale (POS) programs at local branches. POS fundraising is unique from other programs in that it gives consumers the opportunity to donate in-person, during checkout or while meeting with a teller.
However, a recent Bain & Company study revealed that customers visit bank and credit union branches 85% less often than they did in 1995, and as many as one in three Americans use mobile banking to handle the majority of financial transactions. What do these trends mean for Point of Sale campaigns like Patelco’s and the nonprofits that depend on such programs?
The answer lies in social media. This November 1, Patelco teamed up with mobile and social media app company CafeGive Social to roll out a new fundraising experience. In addition to Patelco’s wildly successful Point Of Sale program, in which members can "buy" a paper pin up snowman in any branch for as little as a dollar, Patelco will also offer a digital donation opportunity.
Members and non-members alike will have the chance to Sponsor a Snowman through Patelco’s Facebook page. All donations will go to CU4Kids, an initiative to unite credit unions in support of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
Now, whether customers make it to a branch or not this holiday season, all can get involved with Patelco and help make a difference for children in need.
Change for Change
With over 92 million members and 250,000 employees, the national credit union network has the power to help children in hospitals across the country. As part of its ongoing commitment to its members and their families, Patelco Credit Union joins these credit unions to raise money for CMNH through the annual Patelco CU4Kids Holiday Fundraiser.
In 2012, Patelco’s achieved incredible success during the month-long campaign, raising over $30,792. This year, the credit union aims to boost that number even higher by combining in-branch efforts with CafeGive’s unique Facebook app and donation platform.
In addition to sponsoring a paper snowman for $1 at any of Patelco’s forty-one branches, anyone can sponsor a virtual Patelco Snowman through the credit union’s Facebook page. All donors have to do is Like the page, make a donation, and their sponsored snowman will be added to the virtual donor wall. Just like the the in-branch snowmen, virtual counterparts will be personalized with each donor’s name. Patelco fans can even choose from four colorful snowmen to represent their commitment to creating healthy children through CU4Kids, on the virtual wall.
Even if you are not currently a Patelco member, you can still help a child have a happy, healthy holiday with the app, by simply logging into Facebook and donating. After making a donation, Patelco fans can help increase the impact of the campaign by sharing it to their own Facebook wall, posting it to Twitter, and helping to raise even more funds. The Virtual Pin-Up Wall App has built-in sharing features that make it even easier to share the campaign through social media.
Point Of Sale Fundraising for the 21st Century
Paper icons and coin canisters at financial, retail, and restaurant businesses helped generate millions of dollars for charities last year. In fact, the six-week-long Miracle Balloon Checkout Campaign by Sam’s Club and Walmart brought in $41.6 million in 2012 for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals according to a study by the Cause Marketing Forum. The need for funds for organizations like the CMNH is constantly growing, however, and social media-powered campaigns are the next stage in fundraising evolution.
CafeGive Social’s Virtual Pin-Up Wall is an extension of its popular Donate App, and combines the fun of paper icons with the ease of social media, and provides community-focused organizations like Patelco Credit Union with a new channel through which to raise funds. The App also offers Patelco another way to connect with its members online, and engage non-members as well as employees in giving back.
Patelco has used CafeGive’s suite of apps for multiple campaigns to help expand its fundraising initiatives and to tell its giving story. You can read more about Patelco’s successes here. From launching a Social Impact Map to hosting two disaster relief campaigns in the wake of Hurricane Sandy and the recent tornado in Oklahoma, to its latest holiday snowman initiative, Patelco continues to embrace the power of social media to create lasting change.
About CafeGive Social:
CafeGive is the only company that combines social media marketing with meaningful, action-oriented cause marketing applications. Using our product, CafeGive Social, we have helped companies, agencies and nonprofits of all sizes connect with customers to build brand, enhance reputation, raise awareness and effect social change. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, CafeGive is a privately held company. For more information, visit http://www.cafegive.com.
About Patelco Credit Union:
Founded in 1936, Patelco Credit Union ranks among the largest credit unions in California and the nation with more than $4 billion in assets and more than 275,000 members. Throughout its 77-year history, Patelco has helped its members and their communities prosper through volunteer initiatives and personalized service that focuses on transparency, simplicity in banking, and garnering trust. Patelco is a federally insured, not-for-profit, full-service credit union that offers the same types of products and services as large banks. For more information, visit: http://www.patelco.org.