No Secret Santa Wish Left Behind in Sonoma County

Redwood Credit Union Steps in to Fulfill Wishes for Annual Secret Santa Program

Santa Rosa, CA, December 20, 2024 – With a longstanding commitment to community support, Redwood Credit Union is stepping in to ensure that all wishes made through the Sonoma County Secret Santa program receive a holiday gift to make the season brighter for those in need.

When more than 2,500 Secret Santa wish hearts were at risk of not being adopted, Brett Martinez, President and CEO of Redwood Credit Union, along with Linda Jacobs, CEO of the Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership (CVNL) and Bill Freidman of Friedman’s Home Improvement, visited Sonoma County radio station KZST’s morning show with a last-minute call to action for the community to help fill these gifts. Martinez then announced that RCU would cover the cost to fill the Secret Santa shortfall, which the credit union has done every year since 2017, following the devastating North Bay Fires. Recognizing that the need grows greater year after year, Redwood Credit Union supported the program as the first and only Secret Santa Champion Sponsor.

"The holidays are about more than gifts; they’re about creating joy and memories, and the Secret Santa program supports that for those who need it most," said Martinez. "At RCU we are honored to have the opportunity to support our community in good times and bad. We want to ensure that every individual on the Secret Santa list receives something special this year."

The Sonoma County Secret Santa program has been a cherished tradition for more than 35 years and works with over 100 county agencies, schools, and community nonprofit organizations to fulfill the wishes of people who might not otherwise receive holiday gifts. The requests are placed on red paper hearts displayed at businesses throughout Sonoma County, including RCU branches, for the public to adopt and donate gifts. By participating in the Secret Santa program, donors make a positive difference and help create a more compassionate and inclusive community. Learn more about Secret Santa at secretsantanow.org.

RCU is proud to amplify the impact of the Secret Santa program by offering 11 of its branches to the collection of drop-off locations for Secret Santa gifts. Throughout the course of December, RCU members and employees were generous in helping spread the holiday cheer, donating hundreds of gifts for those in need.

About Redwood Credit Union

Founded in 1950, Redwood Credit Union is a full-service financial institution providing personal and business banking to consumers and businesses in the North Bay and San Francisco. With a mission to passionately serve the best interests of its Members, team members, and communities, RCU delivers many ways for its Members to save and build money through checking and savings accounts, auto and home loans, credit cards, digital banking, business services, commercial and SBA lending, and more. Wealth management and investment services are available through Redwood Wealth Management and insurance and auto-purchasing services are also offered through RCU Services Group (RCU’s wholly owned subsidiary). RCU has more than $8.5 billion in assets and serves more than 485,000 members with full-service branches from San Francisco to Ukiah. For more information, call 1 (800) 479-7928, visit redwoodcu.org, or follow RCU on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn for news and updates.