Mission in Motion: When Improving Lives Goes Beyond the Numbers
At UT Federal Credit Union, our mission is to improve lives, financially and beyond. Mission in Motion puts that mission into action by giving employees unlimited paid time to serve the communities they call home.
A mission statement can be easy to write. The harder part is making sure it influences the decisions an organization makes every day.
At UT Federal Credit Union (UTFCU), we believe our mission, “To improve lives, financially and beyond,” should be more than words on a wall. It should be something we live.
That belief led to the creation of Mission in Motion, a new employee volunteer program that gives all UTFCU employees unlimited paid time during their regularly scheduled work hours to volunteer with community organizations and causes that matter to them.
The program officially launched August 1, 2026.
But the most important part of Mission in Motion isn't the number of hours employees can volunteer.
It's the numnber of lives an employee can impact with those hours.
Why Put a Cap on Giving Back
Many employers, including credit unions, offer paid volunteer time as an employee benefit. Typically, those programs provide employees with a set number of volunteer hours each year.
UTFCU wanted to look at volunteerism differently.
If the organization's mission is to improve lives, financially and beyond, putting a limit on the amount of time employees can spend improving lives in their communities didn't feel consistent with that mission.
Mission in Motion removes that limit.
Employees can volunteer as often as they choose, as long as their volunteer activities are coordinated with their regular work responsibilities so UTFCU can continue serving its members and operating effectively.
There is no annual volunteer-hour allotment to use up. No need to decide which opportunities are worth using those limited hours for.
Instead, employees have the freedom to serve where they believe they can make a difference.
Volunteerism That Looks Different for Everyone
There isn't one right way to give back.
For some UTFCU employees, that might mean spending time at a local food bank. For others, it could mean helping provide meals at a shelter or supporting an organization connected to a cause that is personally meaningful to them.
Employees can choose their own volunteer opportunities and serve with organizations they support individually.
They can also participate in volunteer opportunities organized through the UTFCU Kindness Committee, which regularly brings employees together for community service projects.
The Kindness Committee has helped organize initiatives such as litter cleanups, food pantry service, first responder appreciation, veterans' events and Habitat for Humanity projects.
Mission in Motion expands the possibilities beyond those organized efforts.
It also gives teams the opportunity to create their own ways to serve. UTFCU's lending department, for example, typically develops its own community service initiatives each year. With Mission in Motion, teams can continue finding ways to work together and give back without having to fit their service into a limited annual volunteer-hour allowance.
The result is a program built around choice: individual causes, team efforts and organized opportunities can all be part of Mission in Motion.
Living the Credit Union Philosophy of "People Helping People"
Community service has long been part of the credit union movement.
The cooperative philosophy of “people helping people” is rooted in the idea that organizations exist to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people and communities they serve.
Mission in Motion builds on that philosophy while putting UTFCU's own mission into practice.
The goal isn't simply to increase the number of volunteer hours logged by employees.
In fact, hours aren't the most meaningful measure of impact.
Impact isn't measured by the number of hours. It's measured by the number of lives improved.
One employee helping at a food pantry may help provide a meal to a family. A team spending a day serving a shelter may make a difficult day a little easier for someone in need. An employee volunteering with an organization that supports a cause close to their heart may make a difference that extends far beyond the time they spend there.
Those individual moments add up.
A Different Kind of Employee Benefit
Mission in Motion is also a reflection of how UTFCU views its employees.
The organization trusts its employees to identify where their time and talents can make the greatest difference.
That trust is an important part of the program.
UTFCU isn't telling employees which causes to support or how they should volunteer. Instead, the organization is removing a potential barrier and giving employees the freedom to make those decisions for themselves.
For employees who have worked at other financial institutions, the difference is noticeable.
One UTFCU employee described the experience this way:
“I've worked at other financial institutions and volunteering was just about checking a box. UTFCU offering unlimited hours shows me I am with the right organization. One that truly cares about the communities they serve.”
More Than a Volunteer Program
UTFCU hopes Mission in Motion will encourage more employees to get involved in their communities. But increased participation isn't the ultimate goal.
The goal is much bigger.
It is about creating more opportunities for people to help people.
It is about giving employees the freedom to use their skills, time and talents where they are needed.
And it is about making sure UTFCU's actions match the words behind its mission.
To improve lives, financially and beyond.
Mission in Motion is one way UTFCU is putting that mission into motion.
Because improving lives shouldn't have a limit.
How Mission in Motion Works
Who can participate?
All UTFCU employees are eligible to participate in Mission in Motion.
How much paid volunteer time is available?
Volunteer time is unlimited during employees' regularly scheduled work hours, provided volunteer activities are coordinated with their regular work responsibilities and UTFCU can continue to serve its members and operate effectively.
Where can employees volunteer?
Employees can choose organizations and causes that are meaningful to them. They can also participate in volunteer opportunities organized by the UTFCU Kindness Committee or coordinate service projects with their departments.
Do employees have to volunteer with a UTFCU-organized event?
No. Mission in Motion allows employees to volunteer independently with organizations they support, in addition to participating in UTFCU-organized opportunities.
Why did UTFCU create Mission in Motion?
The program was created to put UTFCU's mission of “To improve lives, financially and beyond” into action while continuing the credit union's long-standing commitment to the cooperative philosophy of “people helping people.”
Mission in Motion at UT Federal Credit Union
Mission in Motion is part of UTFCU's broader commitment to improving lives in the communities it serves. By removing a traditional limit on paid volunteer time, UTFCU is giving employees the opportunity to turn their values into action and make a difference in ways that are meaningful to them.
Because at UTFCU, improving lives isn't something we simply say.
It's something we do.
Are You Part of an Organization That Could Benefit From UTFCU Volunteers?
Mission in Motion isn't just about giving our employees more opportunities to volunteer. It's about connecting their time and talents with organizations doing meaningful work in our communities.
If you represent a nonprofit, community organization or other group that could benefit from UTFCU employees volunteering their time, we'd love to hear from you.
Tell us about your organization, the work you do and the types of volunteer opportunities available. Your organization may help an UTFCU employee find a cause they're passionate about, or it may become an opportunity for a group of UTFCU employees to serve together.
Have a volunteer opportunity for UTFCU employees?
Contact Us
Whether it's serving meals, organizing donations, cleaning up a community space, supporting an event or putting a specific skill to work, we're interested in learning how our employees can help.
Because improving lives takes all of us.
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