How Red Crown Credit Union Is Helping Kids at Saint Francis Children’s Hospital — One Swipe at a Time
How Red Crown Credit Union Is Helping Kids at Saint Francis Children’s Hospital — One Swipe at a Time
When you swipe your debit card to buy groceries or fill up your tank, it probably doesn’t feel like an act of generosity. But for Red Crown Credit Union members who carry our Saint Francis Children’s Hospital community debit card, it is — every single time.
In Episode 2 of Common Centsibility, we sat down with Chrissy Streator. She is the Children’s Miracle Network Program Director at Saint Francis Children’s Hospital in Tulsa. Together, we talked about the hospital’s work, the families it serves, and the new partnership that puts community giving on autopilot for Red Crown members.
What Saint Francis Children’s Hospital Actually Does
Most people picture a children’s hospital as a place for premature newborns. In reality, the scope is far broader.
Saint Francis Children’s Hospital is a 160-bed facility. It treats patients from birth through age 18. Conditions range from emergency care — appendectomies, motor vehicle accidents — to long-term treatment for cancer, heart abnormalities, and cystic fibrosis. The hospital also treats pediatric mental illness. As Chrissy noted, that is an often-overlooked part of their work.
The neonatal intensive care unit carries 50 beds. It operates at near-full capacity year-round. In fact, some premature infants spend 100 days or more in the NICU before going home.
Children’s care is not interchangeable with adult care. Pediatric specialists need different training and different equipment. For example, the NICU’s ventilators are built specifically for premature infants. That is precisely why a dedicated children’s hospital exists — and why it requires dedicated community support to operate.
The Funding Gap Most People Don’t Know About
Here is something Chrissy was direct about: children’s hospitals need community support in ways that surprise most people.
A significant portion of families at Saint Francis are underinsured or covered by Medicaid. Neither option covers the full cost of pediatric care. As a result, specialized staff, specialized equipment, and lower patient volumes create a funding gap that insurance simply doesn’t close.
That gap is filled — in part — by donations, grants, and corporate partnerships. Specifically, those funds support things most donors don’t immediately think of:
Meals for families during extended stays. When a child is hospitalized for weeks or months, a caregiver often leaves work entirely. To help, Saint Francis runs a meal program funded by community donations.
Equipment families can’t afford. Sometimes a child needs to go home with an oxygen machine or other specialized equipment. If the family can’t cover that cost, the hospital steps in.
The child life program. Saint Francis employs nine child life specialists. These are trained health professionals. Their focus is reducing fear, stress, and trauma for hospitalized children. They prepare kids for procedures using age-appropriate language. They also provide therapeutic play and coordinate pet therapy visits seven days a week. Additionally, they organize events like Christmas parties, Halloween trick-or-treating, and Easter egg hunts. In short, their job is to make the hospital experience as kid-friendly as possible.
To put the scale of giving in perspective: in 2025, Saint Francis raised $913,000 through Children’s Miracle Network partners and local business partnerships combined. Moreover, that number has grown every year under Chrissy’s leadership.
Red Crown’s New Partnership — and the Community Debit Card
Red Crown Credit Union has been a part of Credit Unions for Kids for 18 years. That is a national movement connecting credit unions to Children’s Miracle Network hospitals. Since 1998, the program has raised over $2.5 million for Oklahoma children’s hospitals.
The new Saint Francis Children’s Hospital community debit card is a first for this hospital. It took two years to develop. As a result, Red Crown members now have a way to contribute to the hospital continuously — not just during a fundraising campaign.
Every qualifying transaction on the card generates support for Saint Francis. It requires nothing extra from the cardholder. Simply use the card as you normally would.
Chrissy’s hope for the card is straightforward: increased awareness and increased support, with a focus on the child life program. For Red Crown, the goal is to tell the hospital’s story through the card — building a lasting connection between the credit union, the hospital, and the community.
Furthermore, if your financial institution has not yet created a community debit card for Saint Francis, Chrissy extended an open invitation during the episode: follow Red Crown’s lead.
How You Can Support Saint Francis Children’s Hospital
There are several ways to get involved beyond carrying the debit card:
Carry the Red Crown community debit card. Every transaction supports the hospital. Contact Red Crown Credit Union to learn more.
Make a direct donation. You can donate online through the Saint Francis Children’s Hospital website or in person at the hospital.
Request a hospital tour. Chrissy offered this directly during the episode. She provides tours for anyone who wants to see firsthand where their support goes. Whether you are a Red Crown member, an associate, or simply a community member, reach out to Saint Francis to arrange a visit.
Consider a corporate partnership. Saint Francis is actively seeking local corporate partners in the Tulsa area. Campaigns can take many forms — register roundups, percentage-of-sales donations, or events. Most importantly, every dollar raised in northeast Oklahoma stays in northeast Oklahoma.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Saint Francis Children’s Hospital debit card?
It is a community debit card from Red Crown Credit Union. Each qualifying transaction directs a portion of proceeds to Saint Francis Children’s Hospital. It is also the first community debit card created specifically for this hospital.
Does Saint Francis Children’s Hospital receive all local donations locally?
Yes. Donations raised through Children’s Miracle Network partners and local business campaigns in northeast Oklahoma stay here. They go directly to Saint Francis Children’s Hospital.
How does Red Crown Credit Union support Saint Francis Children’s Hospital?
Red Crown has been a Credit Unions for Kids partner for 18 years. Through that program, over $2.5 million has been raised for Oklahoma children’s hospitals. The new community debit card is the latest step in that partnership.
How can I tour Saint Francis Children’s Hospital?
Contact Saint Francis directly and request a community tour through the Children’s Miracle Network program. Tours are available and encouraged for anyone who wants to see the hospital’s work in person.
What does the child life program at Saint Francis do?
The program employs nine trained specialists. They help children and families cope with the emotional challenges of hospitalization. They prepare kids for procedures, run pet therapy, and organize special events throughout the year. Their goal is to make every hospital stay as normal as possible for young patients.
About Our Guest
Chrissy Streeter is the Children’s Miracle Network Program Director at Saint Francis Children’s Hospital in Tulsa, a role she has held for three years. She has worked within the Saint Francis health system for over 25 years, with 21 of those at the Children’s Hospital. A Tulsa native, Chrissy was born at Saint Francis, delivered her three children there, and had a son who was a patient at the hospital as an infant.
Red Crown Credit Union and the Tulsa Community
At Red Crown Credit Union, being member-owned means more than a different fee structure. It means the communities we serve — Tulsa, Pryor, Claremore, and across northeast Oklahoma — are the reason we exist. Consequently, partnerships like this one with Saint Francis Children’s Hospital are a direct expression of that mission.
If you have questions about the community debit card or want to learn more about how Red Crown gives back locally, visit redcrowncu.org or stop by any of our branches.
Common Centsibility is Red Crown Credit Union’s podcast covering real financial decisions and real community stories from across Oklahoma. Subscribe on Spotify and never miss an episode.
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