RCU helps more than 3,400 people protect themselves from fraud with free Shred-a-Thon

Held in Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, Napa, and Lake counties, the events provided a safe and secure way for community members to dispose of sensitive documents and unwanted electronic waste (e-waste), such as old computers and printers. Overall, the events delivered significant community impact by securely destroying 83,880 pounds of documents and recycling 28,865 pounds of e-waste, helping safeguard personal information while reducing waste and supporting environmental sustainability. These events reflect RCU's larger commitment to giving back and investing in the financial well-being of the communities it serves.

This year, RCU relocated three of its five Shred-a-Thons to larger venues in Marin, Sonoma, and Mendocino counties, making the events even more accessible. RCU served more than 3,400 community members, allowing people to securely dispose of confidential materials that could otherwise leave them vulnerable to fraud, scams, and identity theft.

“One of the best ways to prevent identity theft is to properly dispose of documents containing personal information, but not everyone has access to, or can afford, secure shredding services,” said Brett Martinez, president and CEO of Redwood Credit Union. “These events remove that barrier and make it easy for people to protect themselves, while also creating positive environmental and community impact.”

In addition to protecting personal information, participants helped generate meaningful environmental benefits. The paper collected during RCU's Shred-a-Thons will be recycled, resulting in an estimated savings of 713 trees and 293,580 gallons of water. The environmental benefit equates to enough trees saved to cover roughly 7 acres of forest, and enough water to meet the needs of nearly 3,600 people in the U.S. for a year.

The events also provided an opportunity for attendees to support local nonprofits serving their communities. Collectively, participants donated more than $11,000 to Lake County Child Care Planning Council, Redwood Empire Food Bank, SchoolsRule Marin, Plowshares in Mendocino, and Napa’s Puertas Abiertas Community Resource Center.

RCU’s annual Shred-a-Thons are part of the credit union's ongoing commitment to helping people protect themselves from fraud and financial crimes. In addition to hosting these events since 2006, RCU offers free fraud prevention resources through its online Fraud and Security Center, including articles, videos, and guidance on avoiding scams, identity theft, and other emerging threats.

About Redwood Credit Union

Founded in 1950, Redwood Credit Union is a full-service, not-for-profit 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 ended August at $10.5 billion in assets and $13.4 billion in assets under management and serves more than 544,000 members with full-service branches in San Francisco and across the North Bay. For more information, call 1 (800) 479-7928, visit redwoodcu.org, or follow RCU on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn for news and updates.