Wednesday 29 April, 2020
In 2019, Amplify Credit Union joined the Saint Louise House community of support as an official corporate partner. We quickly connected over a shared passion for ensuring families have a safe place to call home, and a belief that deep support can help families end the cycle of poverty for generations to come.
In less than a year, Amplify Credit Union has become a tremendous partner of Saint Louise House, making a lasting impact on women-led families moving towards healthy, independent lives.
In the words of Amplify CEO, Kendall Garrison, “For the past 50 years, Amplify Credit Union has helped shape Central Texas for families and small businesses alike. During this time, we’ve also come to believe that our community is only as strong as its most at-risk members. Breaking the cycle of homelessness for families requires more than just the occasional contribution; it requires businesses like ours to make a sustained commitment to Saint Louise House and others. For us, being a leader in this conversation means ensuring that our partners have the ongoing resources and personnel they need to be successful.”
Amplify Credit Union’s contributions have been felt across Saint Louise House – from volunteering in our office to transforming bare spaces into welcoming homes, and from hosting drives for critical items, to becoming the presenting sponsor of our inaugural Weekend of Giving. Their help, guidance and outstanding customer support team enabled our organization to successfully navigate our Payroll Protection Program loan application, a true lifeline in the midst of much uncertainty.
For the latest edition of our new Supporter Spotlight series, we asked their team to share more about their experience with Saint Louise House, and why our mission matters to them. Below is a peek into the warm thoughts from this passionate team.
On partnering with Saint Louise House:
“We must always be responsive to our community. When we launched our ‘Safe Place to Call Home’ campaign, we chose partners who truly understand the day-to-day challenges of those experiencing homelessness. The insights these partners offer not only shape our internal efforts, they also allow us to bring those insights into our broader network – political, commercial, and otherwise – and advocate on their behalf.
While many organizations work hard to provide temporary housing for at-risk members of the community, we were struck by the sustained support that Saint Louise House offers its members. The wraparound services Saint Louise House offers do more than just get families back on their feet – they help ensure that these families will forever break the cycle of homelessness.
Many of our team members express that Amplify’s emphasis on volunteerism played a vital role in their decision to apply here. Now that we’ve partnered with Saint Louise House, we can turn our volunteer opportunities into an organization-wide event, building relationships across teams. We are also able to show them the long-term impact of their efforts as we build relationships with the Saint Louise House team and community.” – Kendall Garrison, CEO of Amplify Credit Union
Our partnership goes beyond the organizational level, as we have watched many Amplify Credit Union employees spring to action on how their individual teams can be involved to help us streamline internal processes and better serve families living at Saint Louise House. Read what Amplify employees have to say:
On Volunteering:
“I truly enjoyed my volunteer experience with the Saint Louise House. My memory/ take-away from volunteering at Saint Louise House is playing a role in the final outcome of the future home. I am truly blessed to work for a company that is so giving. Between donating items for the home and then assisting with the setup, the entire experience was truly inspirational. I believe what stands out most is to hear that once the families are ready to move, they get to take all the items with them. I feel so honored to have volunteered for such a wonderful cause.” – Brittany Trejo
“I just LOVE doing a final walk-through after an apartment set-up and imagining the new family walking in for the first time. It’s so fun and exciting working together as a team to provide a cozy home for the family.” – Joanne Sims
On What They Would Tell Others About Saint Louise House:
“Thank you for the opportunity to help the community through Saint Louise House. They do a tremendous job helping an underserved population get back on their feet, help them grow and enhance their skill sets, and provide a stable environment for their families. Our team was honored to help such a great organization!” – Kim Gamez
“Saint Louise House gives mothers and their children the resources to be successful. Without the safe and affordable housing and the support Saint Louise House gives them, their lives could end up very tragic. Saint Louise House gives them an environment to thrive and have fulfilling and successful lives.” – Terry McCoy
“This is an amazing organization with staff that have great heart and commitment to their work. It is terribly difficult for single mothers to get ahead without a home, so Saint Louise House provides a fully furnished apartment and complete wraparound services with support throughout their journey from homelessness to success.” – Joanne Sims
Learn more about Amplify Credit Union at www.goamplify.com