DCCU offers shred days twice a year, in the spring and fall. These are offered at most of our branch locations and are a chance to shred documents safely and securely - for free. These documents may include personal information about yourself that is risky to discard with your regular household trash. Shred days are an opportunity to keep your personal information safe, help prevent identity theft, and give back to the community.

Shredding Important Documents 
Participating in shred days is important because it is an opportunity to shred sensitive documents, which can help keep your personal information safe. It is dangerous to dispose of documents with your social security number, account numbers, personal identification numbers (PINs), passwords, home address, or birthday on it in your household trash. Consider shredding these or other documents like canceled checks, old ID forms, paid billing statements, or old bank statements to ensure that no one can retrieve these documents after disposal. 

Fraudsters can gain access to sensitive documents and steal your identity resulting in fraudulent activity such as opening credit cards in your name, taking out loans, or making unauthorized purchases. Reducing your paper trail, by shredding these documents, can help reduce the risk of identity theft.

Shredding also helps reduce clutter. Getting rid of old or unused documents may make it easier to find important or relevant information. Reducing clutter in your office, or home where you keep sensitive documents could help ensure that you are referring to and using up-to-date information without confusion.

Giving Back to the Community 
When you shred your items, not only are you protecting yourself, but you are also able to give back to the community. Participants attending DCCU Shred Days are asked to bring non-perishable food items or a monetary donation for the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. Headquartered in Verona, Virginia, the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank serves 25 counties and 8 cities throughout Virginia. Through their local nutrition programs, food pantries and community partnerships, they distribute more than 118,000 meals each month. 

Getting involved in the community by helping to alleviate hunger and food insecurity is just one way that participating in the DCCU shred days helps you and the pepople around you.

Keep an eye on our website as we will post the specific dates for our next shred days as the season approaches.