Hometown Hero

Small Acts That Give Back

Who's Your Hometown Hero?

Small acts from the past

Our common thread is the common good

Small Acts That Give Back is our own version of random acts of kindness. The mission is to spread joy to our members and neighbors right here in our own community. Read below to find out what we’ve done so far this year

Who's Your Hometown Hero?

Join us celebrating our Hometown Heroes. Nominate someone you know who goes above and beyond in your community, and they’ll have a chance to win $250.

Who is your Hometown Hero?

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Our Small Acts That Give Back

National Nonprofit Day Winner

We have been celebrating all of August by holding our annual National Nonprofit Day Campaign, which gave community members the chance to nominate their favorite 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization to win a $2,023 donation! We are thrilled to announce that Revive Recovery Resource Center is this year’s winner! Thank you to everyone who nominated a nonprofit.

award

Award - Revive Recovery Resource Center

award

Best of Small Business- 978 Cafe

Nominated by Kaiden Nobrega

978 Cafe

978 Cafe

"978 cafe is an amazing small business owned and run by a young husband and wife. Their vision ever since they opened has been to serve the Lowell and Dracut community by providing coffee, smoothies, and breakfast/lunch sandwiches to the local community. They have amazing food and drink, and I recommend going there if you have not already. They really give back to the local community and put their heart into making whatever the customers request."

978 Cafe

KJ's-Caffe

Nominated by Wendi Giuliano

KJ's Caffe

KJ's Caffe

"Justin and Kathryn are so giving with their small business and true community driven people. They own and operate KJ's Caffe in Chelmsford and just opened a second location in Acton. Their caffe is open daily from 6/7 am to 3 pm offering coffee, pastries, sandwiches and salads. Their selections are tasty for sure, however it's them and their family, YES all three sons work for them in some capacity. They are all so welcoming and helpful and always remember your name."

KJ's Caffe

Camilla's Surf n' Turf

Nominated by Rocio Tozzi

Camilla's Surf n' Turf

Camilla's Surf n' Turf

"Camila's Surf n' Turf is an Argentinian/Dominican restaurant that is family owned and operated! Among the genuine people who work there, is one of the owners himself, Facundo. he used to own a food truck where he would cook his great meals and give the people in the area a feel of his best work. Within time he picked up his roots and planted them in this beautiful restaurant right next to Lawrence's view of the Merrimack River Dam, where you can watch the sunset while enjoying an amazing dinner."

Camilla's Surf n' Turf

Sophia's Greek Pantry North

Nominated by Maria Halepis

Sophia's Greek Pantry North

Sophia's Greek Pantry North

"When you walk in the store you are always greeted with a smile from Valerie and the other employees. That are always making interesting product recommendations, and they never disappoint. This store has been a great addition to the community, not only for Greek-Americans in the area. Many people travel to the store to try their delicious yogurt. Aside of their great products, Valerie does many things to help the community, engaging with local organizations, donating goods and services. I’m proud to shop in such a place.

Valerie and Robert

2023 Heating Bill Winners -Tammy

We were able to help some of our members with their heating bills this winter. Members submitted stories telling us why they needed help with their heating costs this winter. Each week, a new member was chosen to receive up to $400 toward a recent heating bill.

Tammy

Kaleigh

Kaleigh

Patricia

Patricia

Ariel

Ariel

Small Acts from the past

We’ve been doing Small Acts That Give Back for years, so check out some from the past, to get inspired!

Read about more Small Acts

I adore JDCU and all they do for the community. <3

Lisa M.

We support schools and students

Financial freedom and fulfilling livelihoods begin with a quality education. We support students of all age levels because continuous learning keeps us moving forward. Learn more about our Financial Wellness Programs.

Scholarship Programs

Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union awarded $19,500 in college scholarships to members and employees.

In 2022, we awarded $19,500 in college scholarships to members through our MoneyStrong College Scholarship and Employee Scholarship Programs, for both future and current college students.

Through our Employee Scholarship Program, Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union employees, as well as their children or grandchildren, are eligible to receive a $500 or $1,000 scholarship. There are six different scholarships available, three memorializing former Jeanne D’Arc employees and board members, and three commemorating our commitment to supporting local non-profit organizations. The Credit Union awarded a total of $4,500 through the Employee Program.

The common thread we share is at the core of all we do

In addition to our Small Acts That Give Back, our We Share A Common Thread Foundation gives back to community organizations that do the vital work necessary to enrich and improve the places where we live and work.

Our Foundation

Our Fundraiser Raised $115,000 for Local Organizations

Our We Share A Common Thread Foundation Fundraiser was held March 29, 2023, raising nearly $115,000. This goes towards the Foundation’s mission, to support the lives of people in the community by assisting with food, shelter, clothing, health, and education.

The 10th anniversary of the fundraising event was originally scheduled to be held at Lowell Memorial Auditorium in February but was canceled due to COVID-19. Due to the generosity of the event sponsors, Fiserv and DCU, and the community, the first virtual event raised more than the previous year’s event, allowing us to distribute funds to 125 local non-profit organizations.

Learn more about our foundation

We are thankful for the support we receive every year, but this year, in a time when so many are in need, we continue to be amazed at how our employees, our sponsors, our members, and our community have come together, these funds allow us to extend our ongoing support to more organizations at a time when so many more people are relying on them.

Mark S. Cochran, President and Chief Executive Officer of Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union.

Banking with us makes an impact

  • In 2021 our Foundation donated nearly
    $600k

    to more than 300 local organizations.

  • In 2019, our employees donated
    8,100

    volunteer hours stocking shelves, organizing books and clothing, serving meals, and so much more.

  • We donate
    $1,500

    every quarter to local non-profits, through our Give a Click program.

Community Giving FAQs

There are various ways you can join Jeanne D’Arc as we give back to the community. Here are some great ways you can get involved today are:

  • Give a Click: Every quarter, we nominate three local 501(c)(3) organization to run in our Give a Click event for the chance to win $1,500. So Give a Click and cast your vote today for who you think should win!
  • Foundation Fundraiser: Every year we host a fundraiser to raise money to support local organizations. Check out our Fundraiser page for more details.
  • Make a donation: Make in impact in the community by donating to the We Share a Common Thread foundation.

You can make a charitable request form found here. Once filled out, you can mail your form to:

We Share A Common Thread Foundation
c/o Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union
Attention: Alison Hughes
1 Tremont Place
Lowell, MA 01854

We have a rich history of giving back to the community. This foundation is operated by Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union and established in 2011 as a means to make an impact in the community and to our members.

Looking for a donation?

Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union is committed to actively supporting our communities through financial contributions, donations, and volunteer service.

Make a charitable request