Knesha Morgan spent part of a holiday shift at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul surrounded by mountains of gifts, wrapping paper, and the sounds of the season. Being one of Santa’s elves may seem outside her job description, but depositing hope and kindness is key to her organization’s mission to serve and uplift each community it calls home.
Morgan, an Operations Processor at La Capitol Federal Credit Union, volunteers regularly while representing the credit union in her hometown of Baton Rouge. Thanks to a corporate Community Service initiative, employees are encouraged to request work hours to carry out service projects. “To whom much is given, much is required,” she said. “It is such an honor to be able to give back – especially in a capacity that’s so needed. We can’t forget those who may not have it as good as we do.”
La Capitol can make personalized donations in the form of outreach hours. “Sometimes you have to sacrifice more than your money,” Morgan said. “It’s time, it’s talent, it’s dedication – I just love the fact that we can actually do this while still being a needed entity to the community.”
La Capitol President and CEO Michael Hooper said he believes businesses should contribute to society while making a lasting community impact. “We are committed to using our resources, expertise, and influence to drive change that aligns with our core values,” he said.
Volunteer hours help man service projects, but employees also use the program to work on boards and foundations in collaborative partnerships across the state. The credit union develops alliances with nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and other stakeholders to amplify efforts and achieve greater outcomes together.
Collaboratives that tapped into La Cap volunteers from 2024 included Shred Fest and the Earn and Learn — Financial Literacy Weekend.
A La Capitol team joined forces with the Better Business Bureau and community partners to curb the losses from identity theft during Shred Fest, held at the Baton Rouge Police Department. The goal was to shred the paper trail of personal information before criminals can steal that sensitive data.
Knock Knock Children’s Museum and the Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants (LCPA) spearheaded the annual Earn and Learn weekend that introduced children to financial literacy through fun, hands-on activities guided by volunteers.