Our commitment to strengthening our community is strongly rooted in our Credit Union values and unique ownership driven approach to financial services. In 2007-2008 alone, OMISTA donated over $16,500 in monetary donations, charitable gifts, and bursaries. As we do every year, our employees enhanced our contributions through payroll deductions redirected to various charities benefiting Moncton, Fredericton, Oromocto and surrounding areas.

Every season, area Credit Unions engage in two joint initiatives; Bagging It For the Food Banks and the Gift of Christmas. Volunteers from OMISTA, other area Credit Unions, and C103 and XL96 actively support our local food banks by bagging groceries at Co-op stores across the region in exchange for cash and non-perishable food donations.

These same volunteer groups encourage owners and the public to make donations of new toys and other gifts to local families in need during the holidays. Donations are distributed by the Greater Moncton Salvation Army and other local charities. Thank you to everyone for making this years Gift of Christmas a success and we hope to see you this year at any one of our branches.

OMISTA Credit Union is a proud supporter of the thINK FOOD program throughout Greater Moncton. The thINK FOOD project diverts waste from landfill sites, through recycling used printer cartridges and cell phones, and alleviates hunger by raising funds for local food banks. Used items collected in our branches are sorted at a central location and sold to the remanufacturing industry where they are refurbished for consumer purchase. thINK FOOD operates at no cost to food banks and generates funds for alleviating hunger, allowing food banks to spend all related funds on their greatest necessities.

In September of this year, OMISTA employees helped lay down roots for families in need. They volunteered their time with Habitat for Humanity and their most recent project, a duplex to house two Metro Moncton families. All employees enthusiastically rose to the challenge to strengthen our local community. OMISTA backed their desire to branch out into the community with a $2000 donation to sponsor OMISTA’s Adopt a Day.

"What a great experience. I was very pleased to be part of the OMISTA Team at the Habitat for Humanity build site. It was a truly rewarding experience to be able to help this organization meet their goal to build houses for less fortunate families so they can make them their homes. The members of our group worked on a number of different tasks throughout the day and at the end we all went home with the satisfaction that we made a contribution to our community." Paul Innes, Administration Manager, OMISTA Credit Union.

Offering financial aid to those pursuing higher education empowers our young leaders to successfully obtain their career objectives. It is for this reason OMISTA awarded seventeen $500 bursaries in June to owners, children and grandchildren of owners attending eligible post-secondary institutions. Since 2000, $76,000 in OMISTA Credit Union bursaries have been awarded to deserving students. The OMISTA Credit Union Bursary Program is designed to assist students in financial need. Although this is the primary consideration, leadership, not only in academic pursuits but also in citizenship and volunteerism, are also considerations.

Our goal is to empower and strengthen the growth of our shared community, our owners, OMISTA as an organization and our entire Credit Union network. The community oriented approach of each Credit Union, combined with the strength of our strategic business partners, results in Canada’s largest network of community focused financial institutions.

Across the country, Credit Unions build stronger communities through donations, sponsorships, bursaries, financial services, community economic development, volunteerism and other socially responsible activities. In 2007, Canada’s Credit Unions contributed $35.8 million toward strengthening the communities they serve.