Extra Credit Union collects $1,500 and 400 winter/personal care items for homeless students in Macomb County

So often the extra warmth of a winter hat and pair of gloves is taken for granted. They fill boxes in a home, often unused for years while so many homeless go without any.

Every year, Extra Credit Union hosts a Mittens for Kids drive to collect cold-weather items and toiletries for homeless students and their families in Macomb County. This year, the financial institution collected $1,500 and 403 personal care items including hats, gloves, scarves, socks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap and other items.

The annual effort supports the Macomb Intermediate School District’s (MISD) Homeless Education Project, which provides registered homeless students and their families in Macomb County with community resources, as well as personal care items and even food. There are currently about 920 registered homeless students in Macomb County. The number increases throughout the school year. Last school year ended with 1,450 registered homeless students in the county.

This is the ninth Mittens for Kids drive the credit union has hosted annually to benefit the project. And most years, the donations greatly increase. Last year, the credit union donated $1,120 and more than 700 personal care items.

Deidra Williams, president/CEO of Extra Credit Union, said she is greatly pleased with the credit union’s efforts to help these homeless students and their families year after year — an effort that also supports the credit union’s legacy of having been started by a group of local teachers 65 years ago.

“We do a lot of work in our local schools helping to teach kids from kindergarten through high school the basics of responsible finances. But helping to make sure these students are warm and fed and have the basic necessities is even more important,” said Deidra Williams, president/CEO of Extra Credit Union. “I’m so proud to have a staff and membership that is so giving and that wholeheartedly cares about the wellbeing of those in our community, especially these youth who are in between homes. We want to let them know that we care about them.”