CU4Kids Champion: Ron Amstutz, Desert Financial Credit Union

Meet Ron Amstutz, Executive Vice President at Desert Financial Credit Union and member of Credit Unions for Kids National Advisory Board.

The effects that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the U.S. were tenfold, affecting areas like human health, financial stability, consumer confidence, etc. One area, however, that was not affected was philanthropy and giving back to the community, according to Desert Financial Credit Union EVP Ron Amstutz. When the pandemic hit, Desert Financial Credit Union focused on giving back to the community in any way possible. With a membership base of over 450,000 members, Desert Financial made it a point in 2020, 2021 and 2022 to encourage members and staff to continue giving back to the community even though times were tough. The communities that Desert Financial operates in now recognize that giving back is a crucial piece of their mission.

The results speak for themselves: in 2022 Ron led his organization to a record setting $1m raised for Phoenix Children’s!

Desert Financial fundraises in a number of ways, including:

• Offers a payroll deduction to their foundation, allowing employees to chose 1 of 8 charities to give to. Through this program, the credit union was able to raise over $153,000 in 2022 to one of those charities, the Phoenix Children’s.
• Holds an annual golf tournament that brought in over $500,000 in 2022. Since the events inception in 1999, the annual golf tournament brings in major sponsors, credit union participants and is a major fundraising opportunity.
• Desert Financial also has other ways members and staff can give such as change drives in branches and ATM surcharge donations, bringing in $75,000 and $70,000 in 2022 respectively.

Ron is a believer in ATM’s being a tool that can accelerate fundraising growth and impact for the Credit Unions for Kids program. In 2022, Ron participated in a webinar to discuss how he makes it work. Click here to view the recording.

1 Darn Cool School

The impressive amount that Desert Financial raises each year is used to fund the 1 Darn Cool School at Phoenix Children’s. This is a fully accredited K-12 school with eight full-time master’s level teachers. The program provides patients at Phoenix Children’s with a traditional classroom setting or bedside instruction to learn, play and discover while receiving medical treatment. Teachers give individualized instruction to students five days a week, year-round. It’s available to all patients who are expected to be hospitalized for five days or longer.

Personal Impact

Starting as a teacher’s credit union over 80 years ago, children have always been a pillar of Desert Financial’s mission. Throughout the years, staff have experienced the benefit of Phoenix Children’s firsthand, including Executive Vice President Ron Amstutz.

Having a son who was once sick and had to complete a stay at the Phoenix Children’s, Amstutz recognizes the importance of having a member Children’s Miracle Network Hospital to care for the children of Arizona and surrounding states. Amstutz, who has served on the CU4Kids National Advisory Board for the last 15 years, would encourage all credit unions to get involved with their local CMN Hospital. Each year, the advisory board looks to support and encourage credit union’s across the U.S. in their philanthropic giving. Getting more people involved in CU4Kids is at the forefront of their mission, focusing on fundraising being a positive competition.

“Ron has had an outstanding career in the credit union industry, especially here at Desert Financial for the past 25 years. Considering his many achievements, I think he’d agree that the most impactful one is the fundraising he’s championed for Phoenix Children’s and the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. His passion to help those causes have allowed us to set records year after year and everyone at Desert Financial and the children and parents who have benefited from the One Darn Cool School at Phoenix Children’s are eternally grateful for Ron!” says Jeff Meshey, President/CEO at Desert Financial.

To learn more and get involved, visit www.cu4kids.org.