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Making a Difference: 2025 Community Day Recap

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Two women working on making surgery bears for CHKD.

The 19th annual 1st Advantage Community Day was a resounding success!

Each year, our team steps away from their desks and into the community to volunteer their time and energy in support of local organizations and causes that make a difference. Community Day is more than just a day of service — it’s a reflection of our deep commitment to helping our neighbors and strengthening the communities we proudly serve.

This year, nearly 200 1st Advantage colleagues worked on 18 projects, partnering with incredible organizations to support military families, hospice organizations, food pantries, community programs, and more. The energy, compassion, and teamwork shown throughout the day truly embodied what it means to live the credit union philosophy of People Helping People.

Join us in celebrating the impact made possible when we all come together for good.

  • 1,250

    pounds of food distributed through THRIVE.

  • 1,000

    comfort bags assembled for the USO.

  • 754

    childhood cancer ribbon pins created for the Wes Strong Foundation.

  • 153

    surgery bears made for patients at CHKD.

  • 51

    blanket wraps made for the Peninsula SPCA and Gentiva/Heartland Hospice.

  • 30

    dinners and desserts boxed to be given out to Community Brain Injury Services members.

1st Advantage colleagues working together to pack boxes at a food pantry.
  • 114

    toys purchased to be distributed to patients of CHKD.

  • 71

    boxes filled at the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank.

  • 6,697

    diapers and 18,286 wipes collected while shredding thousands of pounds of personal documents for our members.

  • 500

    books were stickered and 423 books were bundled for YMCA Armed Services.

  • 50

    pairs of hearts were knitted and crocheted for Edmarc, a local pediatric hospice organization.

Group of 1st Advantage colleagues showing toys we purchased for CHKD.
  • 3,253

    pounds of food and household goods processed at the Grove Christian Outreach Center.

  • 50

    mattresses cleaned for the Gloucester United Emergency Shelter Team.

  • 500

    lunch bags assembled for Love the Tree of Life Clinic, who serves the homeless & underserved communities in Hampton Roads.

  • 75

    holiday gifts purchased and wrapped with handmade gift bags and cards for senior residents at Newport News Nursing & Rehab.

Colleagues shopping carts at Walmart. Purchasing holiday gifts for senior citizens.

In addition, colleagues volunteered a combined 22.5 hours to help decorate the Virginia Living Museum for their annual Night of the Living Museum event. Our team also spent time at Williamsburg United Methodist Church’s Respite Care program, supporting staff and joining participants in chair exercises, water brush painting, and other brain-stimulating group activities. To top it all off, employees raised $330 for the 1st Advantage Foundation through a 50/50 raffle — another great example of teamwork and generosity in action.

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