StellerVista Credit Union is proud to announce a precedent setting year on the Community Investment front and will have donated more than $200,000 to local organizations throughout the Kootenay / Boundary region by year’s end.

To cap off 2023, StellerVista will be donating more than $50,000 to a number of different causes across the seven communities it serves, including $20,000 to regional hospital foundations, and $20,000 to local food banks.

Despite the immense amount of work that  has gone into the credit union’s rebrand and merger integration this year (StellerVista came into existence in 2023 through the merger of Heritage and East Kootenay Community Credit Unions), the organization has kept community investment at the forefront of its agenda.

The amount donated this year represents an amount that notably surpasses the sum total of what each former credit union once donated.

“While merger integration periods can be challenging for both members and staff, we can already see some of the benefit coming to life in the form of our new Community Investment commitments,” said CEO Jody Burk. “We piloted a few new programs this year, with the intent of being more accessible and relevant in the ways that we support our community, and the response has been incredible.”

Employees have also had a direct impact on the giving this season, as every department had their own budget from which to donate to any local organization of their choice. This aspect amounted to $15,000 worth of unique and highly relevant donations, spanning Rock Creek to Elkford.

“Members own the credit union, and so what we do with the money needs to reflect their will. Over and over again they have told us how important it is to support our youth and their continued education – as such, more than $25,000 was allocated to student awards this year,” said Jeff Fero, Director of Marketing and Community Engagement.

“Our increased donations this year, especially those chosen by our staff, are a clear indicator of our commitment to the community,” added Jody. “We’re more than a financial institution; we are a community partner, deeply invested in helping everyone live their best financial lives.”

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