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New Year’s Evolution!

squarespace-employees-know-how-to-properly-enjoy-internationalbeerday-friday-wedeliver-ridereric_19759614724_o (1)This last year was an epic one for Portland Pedal Power, with more of everything: more cargo bikes loaded down with piping hot food, saucy new vendors, more parties and events, brand new staffers, and a growing list of sponsors who align with our mission — to fuel Portland with sustainable bike delivery.

This last year we painted the town with local sponsors like Bowery Bagels, Sundown Concerts (Ecotrust), Gluten Free Gem Bakery, Providence #FinishCancer, Willamette Week Give!Guide, Pacific Power, PointWest Credit Union, BTA Bike Commute Challenge, Treo Bike Tours, Cambia Portland Classic, the GoGreen Conference, the Portland Art Museum, USAgencies, GenZe, Whole Foods, and OPB.

frosty-the-giant-donut-happy-new-year-from-riderrob-delivering-treats-in-the-pouring-rain-wedeliver-happynewyear_24024493866_oWe cruised some of the best and most attended local events this last summer too: the Walk MS, Green Drinks, PDX Beer WeekPortland PrideBike MS Willamette ValleyBreakfast on the BridgesSundown ConcertsSunday ParkwaysBridgePedal 2015, the Portland Classic Tournament, PSU Farmer’s MarketBite of OregonOregon Brew Fest, Pecha Kucha Night, and the Bicycle Commute Challenge!

Looking forward, we plan on growing and further evolving in 2016. We will unveil some exciting new website changes in the coming days. We’ll continue to work to provide our hungry customers with the best service, superior food selection, and the best catering by bike this side of the Mississippi. We will continue to build community partnerships to boost our favorite local businesses and brands, providing unique visibility and friendly brand ambassadors on our bikes.

PPP is committed to supporting sustainable business and growth in the city we love. We hope you’ll join us in ushering in a better future.

Cheers to the coming year! Power to the Pedal!


Why You Should Switch to a Credit Union ASAP

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Bike your way to a better bank!

Back in 2011, during all the activities related to Occupy Wall Street, I took my money out of my big bank and switched to a credit union as part of Bank Transfer Day. It was a small move in the right direction for me. I have never regretted this choice.

Credit unions are not-for-profit organizations that exist to serve their members rather than to maximize corporate profits like big banks. I can always get someone on the phone, there are no wonky hidden fees, and they have a really usable phone app.

By nature of being member-driven, credit unions tend to be involved in the community and are run under the philosophy of “people helping people.” One of our current partners USAgencies, was founded in 1936 under this foundational philosophy.

Over the years USAgenices has grown to be one of the best member-driven cooperative credit unions in the Pacific Northwest.

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People helping people

As a member, you’ll receive super convenient, anytime-anywhere banking with personal one-on-one service, with access to thousands of ATMs and shared branches, online and mobile banking, and 24-hour phone access.

Over the years, USAgencies has expanded their field of membership to serve many more groups in the Pacific Northwest including: active and retired military personnel; state, county, city and municipal employees; Native Americans; and family members of any eligible member.

USAgencies works to be a consistent resource for members along the path of their financial life. Through the USAgencies Community Giving Team they support the social mission of credit unions – to assist with meeting basic needs and to invest in programs to strengthen and enhance the community.

They also offer some pretty smart tips and tricks for managing home maintenance, encouraging members to use the CU as a resource for putting home equity to work. If you have equity in your home, you can use it for nearly any purpose: remodeling, vacations, debt consolidation, and even education expenses. It’s a way to maximize your assets so you can meet your financial goals.

Look into working with USAgencies and switching to a credit union ASAP, you won’t regret the move!


Gain Control with MoneyMark!

11098312_1070250139657333_1378931346_nSometimes, it can feel like you don’t have much control over your finances. You might be able to see what’s happening with your account, but as far as changing anything? It might take a while to get anything done.

USAgencies Credit Union is changing that with their new app! MoneyMark is a tool that allows you to easily add all of your financial accounts in one place so you can view your total spending, savings, and goals with one secure log in. MoneyMark gives you the power to take control AND a chance to win with their MoneyMark sweepstakes!

Entering the contest is easy! Log in to MoneyMark (found right inside Online Banking and the Mobile App) and add at least one account before May 31st, 2015. You’ll be automatically entered into the drawing to win a Nest product that uses technology to promote your safety and security, just like USAgencies does.

Eight winners will be drawn; you could be one of them!

Prizes you could potentially win:

  • 2 Nest Learning Thermostats – a $249 value each
  • 4 Nest Protect Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Alarms – a $99 value each
  • 2 Dropcam Pro Cam Systems – a $199 value each

Take control of your money today! Visit USACU.ORG/MONEYMARK to learn more!


Celebrating Earth Day with USAgencies Credit Union

11024108_430426627118881_1557199712_nEarth Day in Portland is something special. It gives us a chance to reflect on how we conserve resources, plant a tree for future generations, and celebrate healthy living and green technologies.

That’s why we always get so excited for Earth Day at Portland Pedal Power. We are all about sustainability and green technology. Having a day dedicated to promoting that kind of lifestyle is a great opportunity to tell everyone about why we love to deliver by bike!

To help promote traveling on two wheels, Portland Pedal Power is going to be at the Edith Green Building this coming Earth Day, April 22nd, with USAgencies Credit Union. USAgencies offers a great bicycle loan program, ensuring you have the ability to get the bicycle of your dreams. Whether you need a cargo bike to move some serious weight, a road bike to get you around the city, or a city bike for some laid back cruising over the weekend, USAgencies wants to get you the bike that suits you best.

Come say hi to us on the 22nd! We will have some delicious treats from one of our vendors and will be talking about our awesome Pyxis cargo box, the many uses of cargo bikes, and all the benefits you can get by incorporating cycling into your daily commute.


Financial Literacy Month is Coming. RSVP with USAgencies!

website---financial-literacy-monthTax Season is always a difficult time. There are so many variables that factor in, so many 3rd parties that promise the highest refund, and by the end of the day, you usually have to cut a big check.

It’s not just taxes, either. Financial issues are a lifetime struggle for many people. Am I saving enough? Are my accounts in order?

That’s why USAgencies is hosting a Feast&Forum throughout April, which is Financial Literacy Month! Every Wednesday, USAgencies Credit Union will be talking about some of the most important aspects of being financially literate while you get to enjoy a brown bag lunch.

Each event will be hosted at the Credit Union, located on 95 SW Taylor StreetTake a look at what you will be learning about during the month of April:

APRIL 1ST: Investing Concerns in a Fragile Market – Take a deep dive into common investing mistakes and discuss the importance of asset allocation.

APRIL 8TH: Roth IRA – Learn the benefits of Roth IRAs and how they are different from Traditional IRA; plus learn about the TSP option with a Roth.

APRIL 15TH: Understanding Retirement Plan Rollovers – We’ll cover rolling over 401(k)s, IRAs, TSP accounts, and others.

APRIL 22ND : Asset Allocation – Discussion on how to utilize asset allocation to work toward your short, mid, and long-term goals; plus we’ll look at the TSP L-Funds.

APRIL 29TH : Transition to Retirement – Learn ten critical factors to help you plan for your retirement.

For each week you register and attend a Feast&Forum session during Financial Literacy Month, you’re entered to win a $100 Certificate of Deposit (6-month term!)

All of these sessions are free and open to the members and non-members alike. Brown Bag Lunches are limited to 20 people and Webinars are limited to 50 people.

Be sure to RSVP for the seminar or webinar you want to attend. Following the prompts and you’re on your way! You can also RSVP by connecting with Kasey Rockwell at (503)275-0346


Help USAgencies Credit Union Reach Their Goal!

website---carsalesmartUSAgencies has been raising money for the month of April and March for SMART, a great program dedicated to getting books to kids. Take a look at how USAgencies is doing so far, and how you can help them reach their goal of $1000 by April 30th!

Since March 1st, we’ve been spreading the word about SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) as a part of our Drive Into Reading Spring Car Sale with Enterprise Car Sales. To date, we’ve raised $100 for SMART – that’s 10% of our goal of $1,000.

What will this $100 do? It will provide about 33 books for SMART students.

Why SMART?

Some of you may be wondering why SMART? Why is the credit union partnering with this organization?

USAgencies is committed to investing in our community, not just in financially specific education programs, like BALANCE that we provide free to our members, or like our Feast&Forum sessions hosted throughout the year – we’ve committed to improving the financial lives of our community at the core, on a basic level, and one of those basics is reading.

According to this infographic from SMART, approximately 50 percent of the nation’s unemployed youth (ages 16 – 21) are functionally illiterate, with virtually no prospects for obtaining jobs. By investing in programming like SMART, who’s mission is to”engage community volunteers to read one-on-one with PreK through 3rd grade children who need reading support” we can impact the early literacy years of Oregon kids, one reader at a time, one story at a time.

Help us reach our goal:
By April 30th, we want to have our Facebook campaign page read “GOAL REACHED! $1,000 for SMART!” And, USAgencies is going to match that effort, $1 for $1 (up to $1,000). We encourage our members to support SMART with us.

Invest in SMART:

  • Visit the campaign on Facebook and give online.
  • Call (888) 452-0915 and give over the phone or visit our branch (95 SW Taylor Street | Portland, OR) in person.
  • Become a SMART volunteer.

Thank you for helping your credit union by #GivingBack – #ReadingMatters!


The Great Toy Drive was a Great Success!


USAgencies and Portland Pedal Power recently teamed up to form a team that would make the Justice League jealous. To help give back to the community, USAgencies collected toys to donate to the KGW Great Toy Drive, matching donations Toy for Toy.

On December 11th, Portland Pedal Power was privileged to convey the precious cargo from the USAgencies office to the KGW Studios.

With your help, USAgencies Credit Union was able to donate more than 360 toys, helping out 130 different non-profits partnered with KGW Studios and bringing a lot of joy to many families.

We want to thank everyone who helped make this holiday season extra special this year by donating a Toy to the Great Toy Drive. Together, we were able to deliver a lot of happiness this year.


Help Give Back With USAgencies in the Great Toy Drive!


atm-toydriveWith the holidays coming up, everyone likes to do their part to help make the season a little brighter for the community. Some donate to food drives, others drop their change in buckets manned by a ringing Santa. Some businesses like to go the extra mile when helping the community.

USAgencies is one of those businesses, rallying to help make the holidays special for kids and families in our community. This year, they are again partnering with KGW for the Great Toy Drive, helping to put gifts under the tree for all children in the PDX area.

This year, you too can help USAgencies make this holiday extra special! All you have to do is buy a new, unwrapped toy you think would make someone smile if they found it under their tree. Toys can be dropped off at the credit union at 95 SW Taylor Street, Portland.

Between now and December 10th, any toy collected for the KGW toy drive will be matched toy for toy by USAgencies. For every Monster Truck, Lego Set, and Action Figure you bring in, you will be ensuring two gifts find their way under a tree.

Once the toys have been collected, Portland Pedal Power gets the privilege of delivering the toys from USAgencies to the KGW Studio via bicycle!

Questions about the Toy Drive can be directed to [email protected] or (503) 275-0346.


USAgencies: Helping the Community by Giving 5% Back!

With all the doom and gloom in the news recently, It’s always nice to hear about businesses doing something right in the world. Especially when it hits so close to home. For the past few months, USAgencies Credit Union, one of our partners, has been giving back to the local community through its Platinum Visa Program. 

With just the swipe of a credit card, members at USAgencies Credit Union are giving back to the local community, Launched as a benefit of being a Platinum VISA cardholder in 2008, the credit union has committed 5% of net income from this card to investing in charitable efforts. Since its inception, the program has given back more than $18,500.

With the roll out of their new brand identity in late July, USAgencies has reignited their community giving efforts online. Organizations seeking donations can now visit USACU.org and submit their request.

“Our giving efforts are informed by the philosophy that we want to be a consistent resource for our members in their financial lives,” says Kasey Rockwell, Director of Credit Union Relations. “The Community Giving Team works to ensure that approved requests and credit union giving efforts are a reflection of the membership groups we serve.”

Details about this program can be found at USACU.org/giving.

Good on you, USAgencies, for doing something right for the community. We are proud to be partnered with such a proactive Credit Union such as yourselves!


Portland Pedal Power is Partnering With USAgencies!

IMG_20140828_084212Imagine a relationship with trustworthy experts who actually listen, who genuinely care and who put your needs first – not what you’d expect from bankers, but that’s exactly what you get at USAgencies Credit Union. That’s why Portland Pedal Power is very proud to announce that we’re partnering with USAgencies!

USAgencies connects you with the whole spectrum of financial services, offering super convenient anytime-anywhere banking with personal one-on-one service, access to tens of thousands of ATMs nationwide, 24-hour phone banking, online and mobile banking, and thousands of shared branches across the country helping make the little stuff easy as pie.

When you become a member of USAgencies, you’re joining one of the best member-driven credit unions in the Pacific Northwest, and bonus: you’re also joining an active community of awesome Oregonians just like you.

So why consider USAgencies? Membership with USACU is about being part of something bigger than yourself. It’s about putting your money and your support behind a cooperative institution that truly has your success as our focus.

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