Be a trailblazer and an ally.

100% of your donation will go directly to Via Stella Foundation. The fight is real in Ukraine and Poland and credit union people need help!

Rafal Matusiak Speaks at the United Nations Climate Mobility Summit

Rafal Matusiak, President & CEO of the National Association of Credit and Savings Unions (NACSCU), spoke at the Climate Mobility Summit in New York City on Thursday, September 26.

During his presentation, Rafal highlighted the work Polish credit unions and Via Stella are doing to support the integration and financial stability of Ukrainian refugees, as well as their efforts to assist displaced individuals and war victims. He also shared insights on the Refugee Response Committee at WOCCU, which he chairs, and discussed a recent survey on how credit union systems are addressing refugee needs.

In recognition of NACSCU’s contributions, Rafal was awarded a certificate of recognition by the Global Centre for Climate Mobility.

Jay Mossman Stands Up at Underground, Issues $100K CUSO Leader Challenge

I challenge my CUSO colleagues to be humanitarians and support credit union response in Poland.

Jay Mossman

CEO

Jay Mossman, CEO, AKUVO, was inspired to take action recently after hearing Rafal Matusiak, president of the Polish Credit Union System and CEO of Via Stella Foundation, speak at an UNDERGROUND event. Matusiak described how leaders worked together to build a path to safety for millions of Ukrainian refugees in Poland, primarily women and children. Mossman personally donated approximately $40,000 over the last six months to purchase an ambulance and medical equipment for these refugees. Mossman’s contribution provided an ambulance to evacuate ill and injured women from the Zaporizhzhia conflict zone where the embattled nuclear power plant is located.

Mossman asked Mitchell, Stankovic and the Underground to issue a challenge to his colleagues running CUSOs for 10 of them to make donations of $10,000 each to Via Stella Foundation, supporting the Polish credit union movement’ front lines work to respond to the war’s humanitarian crisis. “The CUSO business model is dependent upon access to members and when credit unions work together to solve issues, it is a market differentiator,” Mossman said, “There are no CUSOs without credit union members. Fintechs and other competitors want access to our members, but we have their trust when we embody the motto, “people helping people.”

We challenge CUSOs to donate $10,000 to the Via Stella Foundation.

Support the Polish Credit Union Movement’s response to this humanitarian crisis.

I am proud to share that since we first featured the Russian war on Ukraine and how Polish credit unions are responding in March of 2022, more than $200,000 has been raised from our Underground community. These donations go directly to Via Stella Foundation to fight back and give a path of safety for refugees.

Susan Mitchell

CEO, Mitchell Stankovic & Associates

We have seen the grinding destruction of the war in Ukraine for the last 14 months.

By Dr. Brian Branch

Our Polish credit union colleagues, who once led the movement for economic freedom from the Soviet Union, today provide humanitarian medical support to affected Ukrainian civilians on the front lines and refugees seeking safe harbor in Poland.

Polish and US credit unions came together to start the Via Stella Foundation that creates a path to safety for the millions of war victims and refugees. Via Stella provides ambulances, medical assistance, housing assistance and children’s education support for those who have escaped Ukraine into Poland.

Via Stella is a credit union foundation working through credit unions. Via Stella ensures that every dollar goes to children in schools, facilities for women’s medical needs, housing, employment, and a path to safety through membership in a credit union. This is about credit unions working with credit unions to make a difference through credit union service and membership.