RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. (2/12/16)--Buoyed by the participation of 200 credit unions, CO-OP Miracle Match program raised $4.3 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in 2015, a 39% increase compared with the previous record set in 2014.

The credit unions netted $3.3 million in their 2015 Credit Unions for Kids fundraisers. CO-OP Miracle Match adds $1 million in matching funds from CO-OP Financial Services’ annual donation on behalf of its client credit unions. In 2014, credit unions and CO-OP Miracle Match combined to raise $3.1 million.

“The sharp rise in fundraising totals is testimony once again to the vitality of the credit union industry’s commitment to people helping people, and to its charity of choice, CMN Hospitals,” said Stan Hollen CO-OP president/CEO. “It is particularly gratifying to note that nearly half of the fundraisers we matched in 2015 were new events--fundraisers that credit unions launched in their communities for the first time.”

The goal of CO-OP Miracle Match is to encourage credit unions, chapters and leagues to sponsor their own local fundraising events to support CMN Hospitals serving their area. Key facts and figures from the 2015 matching program include:

• Overall, 227 fundraising events were matched by CO-Financial Services, with 105 new event fundraisers taking place, representing 46% of the grand total of events matched;
• Ninety-eight CMN Hospitals in 39 states benefited from CO-OP Miracle Match in 2015.

Top individual fundraisers in 2015 included (all totals include CO-OP Miracle Match):

• A golf tournament held by First Tech FCU, Mountain View, Calif., raised $760,000;
• The Roaring 20s Gala put on by the Northwest Credit Union Association, Tigard, Ore., raised $238,738;
• The SacTown Ten-Mile Run hosted by California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues, where Diablo Valley FCU, Concord, Calif., raised $168,121;
• A fundraising walk presented by Orange County CU, Santa Ana, Calif., raised $139,495; and
• The motorcycle ride/poker run/concert put on by Fibre Federal CU, Longview, Wash., raised $106,222.

“The CO-OP Miracle Match program has enabled us to raise new, incremental dollars, and has made a significant impact on the 10 million kids treated at CMN Hospitals every year,” said Joe Dearborn, senior director, Credit Unions for Kids. “CO-OP and their generous clients have been a major reason why our industry continues to be one of the leading contributors to this important charity.”

In addition to CO-OP Miracle Match, an even $100,000 was raised for CMN Hospitals during CO-OP’s THINK 15 conference held in Colorado Springs in May.

Credit unions interested in applying for matching grants in 2016 under the Miracle Match by CO-OP program may do so by visiting www.co-opfs.org/miracle-match.