Champion Spotlight: John Bratsakis, Credit Unions for Kids Advisory Board Chairman

The Credit Unions for Kids (CU4Kids) National Advisory Board serves as a liaison and advocate for the mission of CU4Kids and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN Hospitals) to the credit union industry. Through the Advisory Board’s guidance and support, credit unions are able to raise significant and meaningful funds for CMN Hospitals. Driving the efforts of CU4Kids forward and serving as the Board Chair for the past 4 years is John Bratsakis, President and CEO of the MD DC Credit Union Association. With nearly 30 years of credit union experience, Bratsakis brings a high level of credit union advocacy and fundraising experience to the program.

The Advisory Board is able to leverage their combined network and collaborate on ways to improve fundraising efforts for CU4Kids and help spread the word on the mission of CMN Hospitals. Eight years ago, when Bratsakis first joined the Advisory Board, the foundation of the board stood out to him as a huge opportunity to talk about the impact that CU4kids was/is making and what methods they’re using to get there.

Samantha Paxson, Executive Vice President and Chief Experience Officer at Co-op Solutions says, “I’m proud to work closely with John on the CU4Kids Advisory Board and I can tell you first-hand that he is integral to the success of the program. The fundraising he champions is substantial but the strategic direction he’s steered the program in might be even more valuable. His emphasis to not overcomplicate things, lead with cooperation, and invest our time and energy into things that help credit unions make a community impact have allowed CU4Kids to set a fundraising record in 2022 with $14.6m raised.”

Bratsakis was first involved with CU4Kids through CU Miracle Day, which allowed him to join the committee for the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile and 5K in D.C. Each year, the race raises hundreds of thousands of dollars to go back to local children’s hospitals. From capitol hill staffers, to credit union executives, to community members, the race brings participants from all over the country. Since credit unions became the title sponsor of the race in 2002, the race has donated nearly $11 million to CMN Hospitals. Through this experience, Bratsakis saw the power of credit unions and community collaboration and decided to get more involved in CU4Kids by joining the Advisory Board.

John leads the Advisory Board to look for ways to encourage the credit union industry to be more intentional in fundraising efforts and generate new and unique fundraising ideas. Traditional methods such as adding $1 to an ATM surcharge, the Chain of Hearts campaign, and golf tournaments, etc., are all excellent ways to start getting involved in CU4Kids. However, when it comes to fundraising, Bratsakis has had success with non-traditional campaigns such as selling calendars with photos from dogs he and his wife foster.

The credit union industry is all about collaboration and networking, according to Bratsakis, and having an Advisory Board that represents credit unions from all over the U.S. allows the board to leverage that network to create more fundraising opportunities. “We’re here to serve our communities and if you’re a community credit union looking for ways to give back, CMN Hospitals are a great option. You can make a meaningful impact while keeping your community reach broad enough to touch the lives of many children“, stated Bratsakis. “Witnessing the power of credit unions and being able to get energized about something” is what’s kept Bratsakis on the board for the past eight years.

Credit Unions are here to help communities financially and holistically, and CMN Hospitals rely on various fundraising partners and programs to support the mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. The value proposition that being involved in CU4Kids brings to credit unions is to demonstrate their commitment to not just financial well-being for all, but mental and physical well-being.

In addition to his work for the national CU4Kids program, he is also very involved with Children’s National, his local children’s hospital. Meredith Demeria, Senior Associate Director, says: “John is a unwavering champion of Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC’s local CMN Hospital.  He has served on our Corporate Advisory Council for over 5 years, contributing his time and expertise alongside other executive leaders, to support the hospital’s most critical fundraising initiatives. John truly embodies the credit union commitment to the communities they serve. We are incredibly fortunate to have him as a partner.” Click here for a link to a highlight Children’s National did on John in early 2023.

According to the Credit Union National Association, credit unions are the fifth largest annual donor to CMN Hospitals and the third largest lifetime donor, having raised more than $180 million since 1996. Bratsakis attributes this successful partnership to credit unions ability to work collaboratively with their communities and partners and support both members and non-members, whether the times are good or bad. Physical and financial health go hand in hand and is sometimes taken for granted but thanks to the generous support of the advisory board and credit unions across the U.S., efforts continue to be successful year after year.

“If I’m going to put my time and effort into something, I’m going to be invested. Hearing families stories about their experiences with CMN Hospitals makes me so thankful that there is a place for these children to go“, stated Bratsakis when asked what his motivation is behind being involved with the Advisory Board.