SC Telco Federal Credit Union in Greenville, S.C., has opened its doors to employees’ school-age children following South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster’s decision to close the state’s schools until the end of April.
Staff members with children from kindergarten through eighth grade are eligible to bring their children to the credit union’s “Kids Kamp,” which kicked off on March 16, the day after McMaster announced school closures. The program is open to the children of employees who cannot perform their jobs remotely, such as frontline staff.
So far an average of six kids per day — representing nine families — have taken part, with employees rotating shifts to watch participants and lead activities. Staffers’ family members, including graduate students and teachers, have also stepped in. The days include working on school assignments, taking part in crafts, outside events, streaming kid-friendly movies and more.
“We knew school closings would put stress on all working parents,” Brian McKay, CEO of the $400 million-asset CU, said in a press release. “With a firm belief that family comes first and employee care as our top priority, the leadership team quickly executed initiatives to give peace of mind to our staff — things such as additional paid sick leave and remote working options. Unfortunately, some roles such as our frontline staff cannot work from home. For these individuals, we provided free childcare as a tangible way to help during this difficult time.”
SC Telco is the latest credit union to roll out new benefits for members impacted by COVID-19. Credit Union of Southern California recently announced its
This also isn’t the first time credit unions have been open to youngsters. Prior to the coronavirus, some institutions began
