Donna Russo’s credit union career began in the 1980s at the now-closed Fitchburg Center for Brain Injured Children.
At the time, Russo was looking for part-time volunteer work she could engage in while raising her young children. Russo is not, as she says, “the type to sit at home and watch soap operas.”
A friend had a child undergoing treatment at the center, and recommended it to Russo – and her self-described “quest” to help children and families has been ongoing since.
She said the people skills she learned on the job in those early years have served her well in the 25 years she’s worked in the HR department at Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU). She currently serves as senior vice president of human resources and training at DCU.
In 2005, Russo helped set up DCU for Kids, a charitable foundation started by the credit union that helps children and families in need. She currently chairs the group.
DCU for Kids has since raised more than $4 million to help support various local outreach groups. Its most recent golf tournament raised more than $400,000, Russo said.
“I find it so rewarding to read all the heartfelt letters from the kids we help, from their parents and their families,” Russo said. “It’s really the fuel that keeps me going.”
Russo is also on the board of the Boys and Girls Club of MetroWest, serving Framingham, Marlborough and Hudson, a position she accepted after taking a tour of the Marlborough facility in 2004.
“It’s one thing to read marketing materials, but it’s another thing to see it in action,” Russo said. “I was so impressed with what I saw that day, I came back to the credit union and my feet didn’t hit the floor.”
When asked about her selection as a 2012 Credit Union Hero, Russo was quick to praise her colleagues at DCU for their help and support, specifically her “right-hand helper” Leslie Willson, who coordinates the DCU for Kids annual golf tournament.
“I never set out to be a hero, that’s never been my goal,” Russo said. “It’s the kids and parents I meet that have to face all their daily challenges – they’re the heroes. They’ve given me more than I’ve given to them, hands down.”
