Unitus Community Credit Union Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

Posted by Katy Wagnon on September 27, 2022

Unitus Community Credit Union, based in Portland, Oregon, is proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month to honor the history and culture of the Latino and Hispanic communities and their social, cultural, and economic contributions. This annual month-long celebration is held from Sept. 15 – Oct. 15.

As part of Unitus’ ongoing commitment to creating an inclusive environment for staff, members, and community, the credit union is proud to partner with local community organizations that are dedicated to creating stronger communities for all. Unitus is proud to host several events while supporting partner-led events throughout Hispanic Heritage Month.

• Sept. 14 – Unitus served as the premier sponsor of the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber’s Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration dinner.
• Sept. 15-16 – Unitus participated in El Grito Portland in collaboration with Point West Credit Union. This community celebration at the Rose Quarter Commons in Portland brought together local community resources, artists, food vendors, and artisans.
• Sept. 16 – Unitus sponsored the Hispanic Heritage Month Breakfast in Salem, Oregon. The event brought together influential Hispanic leaders, business owners, and community members to network and highlight opportunities for continued support, partnership, and connection.
• Sept. 20 – Unitus hosted its Juntos Avanzamos Community Celebration at Unitus Plaza. The event celebrated the credit union’s Juntos Avanzamos designation with entertainment, keynote speakers, food, and giveaways. *Members of the media are welcome to attend.
• Sept. 25 – Unitus launched its signature event at Ron Tonkin Field in Hillsboro. El Festival de Mariachi was free and open to the public. The event brought local high school and professional mariachi bands together.
• Sept. 30 – Unitus will celebrate its Bilingual Teachers Scholars cohort at Western Oregon University with a welcome breakfast. This Unitus program funds educational costs for eight students to become bilingual K-12 teachers in Oregon.

Unitus’ commitment to the Latino and Hispanic communities is a year-round endeavor. The credit union strives to provide affordable, sustainable, and responsible financial products and services to empower Hispanic and immigrant communities. Unitus’ inclusive financial practices include loans to finance the cost of immigration/citizenship, ITIN loans for members without social security numbers, international money transfer programs to send money to home countries, multigenerational home loans, and Spanish-speaking staff to serve members in person and online.

Unitus is proud to be involved with local community initiatives that provide support for Latino and Hispanic communities. Some of these partnerships include: education and services through the Consulate of Mexico, funding for the Farmworker Program Coordinator position at AWARE Food Bank in Woodburn, community outreach at the Hacienda CDC Latino Home Fair, sponsorship of Los Soñadores games with the Hillsboro Hops, support for local BIPOC business through the #PDXUnites campaign, and partnering with BIPOC and women-owned businesses for Unitus’ operational needs through inclusive vendor selection.

“We are proud of our partnerships and the connections we continue to make within our communities,” said Steven Stapp, president and CEO of Unitus. “Through these partnerships, we can better identify and remove barriers that are preventing community members from accessing financial services. We believe we are stronger together and when we collaborate to create inclusive spaces, we all benefit.”

Posted in Regional Member News.