Community Spotlight – How one Nuvision Employee is Making a Huge Difference for Southern California’s Homeless

It might be cliché to say someone has a heart of gold, but it’s the best way to describe Peter Fernando, a Nuvision Credit Union employee of nearly 11 years. Fernando, 33, has lived in southern California since ’97. As an audit specialist in Nuvision’s corporate office, he coordinates external audits between third parties, as well as conducts branch audits.

“I like the people that I work with and I like the interaction with the other departments,” Fernando said. “It’s a very busy fast-paced environment, but at the same time, it is fun. I know it’s hard to say work is fun, but I like what I do.”

Aside from work, Fernando has a passion for helping people. With compassion and charity an inherent part of his character, he said he’s always lived his life helping people in need.

“If somebody needed help, I would help them out,” he said. “Whether their car was stuck on the side of the road or jumping a car, little things like that. It’s just something I like doing - helping wherever I can.”

Fernando graduated in May with a bachelor’s in criminal justice administration. It seems fitting for him.

“My dream is to work with troubled youth,” he said. “If those doors didn’t open for me, then I do like the audit specialist role, so if I can expand in that area, then I’d like to.”

A Birthday to Remember – Giving Back to Those in Need

For most, their milestone birthdays are filled with lavish celebrations, lots of friends and presents. For Fernando’s 30th birthday, he had a much better idea in mind.

“I didn’t want to do anything for myself for my birthday,” he said. “Instead, I wanted to do something for people who didn’t have anything. And what I did was, at my 30th birthday, I told myself I’m going to make a minimum of 30 care packages.”

These care packages are decently-sized Target bags filled with items like peanut butter cookies, canned food with the easy-to-open top, granola bars, water, tooth brushes, toothpaste, soap, wipes, sanitizer, lip balm, clothes and motivational verses.

On his 30th birthday, Fernando brought the care packages to Skid Row, Los Angeles, and handed them out. Skid Row, located in Downtown Los Angeles, has one of the largest homeless populations in the United States, with estimates being somewhere between 2,000 and 8,000 people.

“I picked that area, because, yeah you have homeless people throughout different cities, but I feel like Skid Row is less traveled because of the name that it has and people’s thought of what it’s like,” he said. “These people kind of get pushed to one area and that’s the only place they have to go to. So, I wanted to do something different for them. The first year I did it, it was kind of like a trial run, I didn’t know what to expect, I didn’t know who to reach out to. I drove down there with my fiancé, my son, my nieces, nephews and I believe my sister was there, and then I just started walking down skid row and giving it to whoever I thought could use a care package. Every year after that, the minimum care packages I would make would be however old I’m turning that year and anything more is great.”

Fernando explained that when he looks back and thinks about everything his parents did for him, he has a strong urge to provide that same type of kindness to people who aren’t as fortunate. He said he simply enjoys making other people feel good.

“My happiness is making somebody else happy,” he said. “It makes me feel like their world is not completely dark, that there is somebody out there that cares. Even if it’s a small package that helps them get through their day, it’s something that makes them smile before they go to bed at night.”

While he’s out there touching lives with every care package, he’s also influencing the lives of his younger relatives.

“I take people who are younger, my son, nieces and nephews, so that they will value what they have in their lives, because there are people who value the little things,” he said. “Value what you have.”

Fernando’s care packages have helped almost 150 people thus far.

“The care packages give them something to eat and drink, and it gives them that sense of hope that there are people out there that care and aren’t scared to go to skid row and give a helping hand to someone who needs it,” he said.

Fernando & Nuvision’s Dedication to the Communities we Serve

Fernando’s philanthropic efforts are supported by his family and his Nuvision co-workers. He asks his co-workers for clothing and food donations, with some co-workers choosing to purchase some of the items for the care packages.

“Community means coming together to help each other out,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where you’re from, what status of wealth you have. Treat everyone the way you’d like to be treated and help somebody out when they need help.”

It’s compassionate employees like Fernando that help uphold Nuvision’s commitment to its members and their communities. Filled with people striving to better our communities and assist those in need, Nuvision strives to be much more than an average financial institution.

Keep up with our blog to learn more about how Nuvision and its employees are helping our southern California community.