Mountain America Credit Union and Idaho Spud Kings Gift New Coats to Idaho Falls Youth
Over 400 coats were donated to students at A.H. Bush Elementary School, providing the gift of warmth as winter approaches.
On Oct. 2, 2023, Mountain America Credit Union volunteers gathered with representatives from the Idaho Spud Kings and the Mountain America Center to give away over 400 coats to A.H. Bush Elementary School students. Each student was individually fitted for their very own new coat in the color of their choice to help them stay warm during the cold winter months. The gift of a new coat is just one less financial burden that families must bear in a district where a high percentage of households are low-income.
“It means a lot to see the smile on these kids’ faces when they get their new coat,” said Matt Polifka, director of strategic partnerships at Mountain America Credit Union. “There’s not much else that can replace that feeling of giving back and doing something good for our community.”
In 2022, Mountain America partnered with the Idaho Falls Spud Kings hockey team to add a new donation program, committing a charitable donation for every goal scored in the 2022-2023 hockey season. The Spud Kings scored enough goals for a donation totaling $15,000. Operation Warm was the beneficiary of that donation, which provides the warm coats in fun colors to kids who may not otherwise have something warm and fun to wear during the winter.
“It’s such a great feeling when the kids are coming through to pick out their coat, and you tell them how great they look. Their smiles just beam. They’re super excited about their coat. It’s been such a fun experience,” said Jacob Baggaley, branch manager at Mountain America Credit Union. “When you see that we’re giving back to the community, it makes me feel like I’m part of something bigger.”
Idaho Falls currently ranks 15th among cities in Idaho with the most living in poverty, and 16.8% of individuals under 18 live below the poverty line.
Mountain America has partnered with Operation Warm since 2019 to provide the gift of new coats and shoes to kids across the credit union’s six-state footprint. For more information about Mountain America’s community involvement activities, visit macu.com/newsroom.
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About Mountain America Credit Union
With more than 1 million members and $18 billion in assets, Mountain America Credit Union helps its members define and achieve their financial dreams. Mountain America provides consumers and businesses with a variety of convenient, flexible products and services, as well as sound, timely advice. Members enjoy access to secure, cutting-edge mobile-banking technology, over 100 branches across six states, and more than 50,000 surcharge-free ATMs. Mountain America—guiding you forward. Learn more at macu.com.
Contact: publicrelations@macu.com, macu.com/newsroom
