NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – About 220 Langley Federal Credit Union employees volunteered at nonprofit organizations on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in honor of the civil rights leader’s legacy of service. Volunteers completed a variety of projects across Hampton Roads and in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Richmond, Virginia, where Langley opened two branches in September and October 2023 respectively.

“We are so proud of all who gave their time to volunteer in observance of this important day for Langley,” said Jerome Fowlkes, Langley’s CHRO and Langley for Families Foundation board member. “Nearly 30 percent of all Langley employees participated, which is a 50% increase from last year and the most who have joined since Langley began observing MLK Jr. Day as a Day of Service in 2020.”

Fowlkes added, “We are especially grateful for our team members in Richmond and Raleigh for taking on projects. With both branches having opened so recently, their participation powerfully demonstrates their commitment to making a positive difference both financially and socially in the communities we serve.”

Volunteers went to 15 locations on Monday, Jan. 15, for Langley’s fifth annual Day of Service. They:

• removed landscaping debris, laid new mulch, and built a bench for the Center for Child & Family Servicesin Newport News, Virginia
• sorted and bagged 12,860 pounds of food, equating to about 10,700 meals, at the Foodbank of Central and Eastern North Carolina in Raleigh
• organized food donations, deep-cleaned food storage racks and painted the welcome center at the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and Eastern Shorein Norfolk, Virginia
• tidied up the outdoor dog trails, built a big cat home, and washed the walls of the facility at the Gloucester-Mathews Humane Societyin Gloucester, Virginia
• cleaned and reorganized office and storage space at theGloucester Mathews Care Clinic in Gloucester
• organized donations in the warehouse at Helping the Homelessin Gloucester
• painted the outside areas and filled about 50 forty-gallon trash bags cleaning the outdoor spaces of LGBT Life Center‘s new medical and counseling facility in Hampton, Virginia
• sorted donations of food, clothing and hygiene supplies, moved furniture, painted bookshelves and beautified the lobby of LGBT Life Center‘s office in Norfolk
• broke down and removed six beds and other large appliances at a safehouse for survivors of human trafficking to make room for new furniture and improve the living space at The Samaritan Housein Virginia Beach, Virginia
• built beds for children experiencing housing insecurity at Sleep in Heavenly Peacein Hampton, Virginia
• created functional and welcoming spaces for individuals with disabilities by cleaning and organizing areas where programs are held at SOAR365in Richmond
• sorted 434 pounds of food and distributed 1,993 pounds of food serving 37 families at “The Market at THRIVE,” the Virginia Peninsula’s first free grocery store, for THRIVE Peninsulain Newport News
• assembled 100 customized wooden flags for families of fallen first responders and wounded warriors at Valhalla’s Forgein Virginia Beach
• assembled, packed, loaded, and palletized around 720 boxes of food for use at distribution sites that will serve individuals and families experiencing food insecurity at the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank in Hampton
• cleaned, prepared and set up 19 Emergency Shelter guest rooms and assembled 20 welcome baskets for survivors of violence at the YWCA of South Hampton Roadsin Norfolk

Additionally, Langley donated about $12,000 in supplies and materials to support the nonprofit organizations hosting Day of Service projects.

“We are proud to have been able to support so many deserving causes and nonprofits who are working diligently to address our communities’ greatest needs,” said Liz Wolfson, Langley’s director of foundation and events. “The nonprofit community relies on the generosity of volunteers to carry out their mission and objectives, and we are grateful to have so many employees who are willing to give their time to support nonprofit organizations working hard to improve the lives of individuals and families in need.”

Langley Federal Credit Union has a long history of community involvement and charitable giving dating back to the founding of the credit union in the 1930s. With a commitment to making a difference in the communities it serves, Langley for Families Foundation was launched in 2014 to support causes and charities benefiting children and families.

Langley Federal Credit Union is a federally chartered credit union, regulated and insured by the National Credit Union Administration. Langley Federal Credit Union serves more than 375,000 members and has over $5.3 billion in assets, ranking the financial cooperative as one of the 100 largest credit unions in the country. Langley is a full-service financial institution where everyone can save, borrow and spend wisely. Located in Hampton Roads, Langley has over 700 employees, 23 branches and more than 55,000 surcharge-free ATMs throughout the region. For more information, visit www.langleyfcu.org.