Since attending the 2022 World Cup, Santa Clarita eighth grader Ismachiah Oduwole, 13, has been making his way across the globe collecting signatures on a soccer ball and seeking sustainability pledges to raise awareness on the impact of climate change. On Monday, July 31, Oduwole brought his soccer ball to Logix Federal Credit Union’s headquarters and President and CEO Ana Fonseca shared her support.

“It’s wonderful to see Ismachiah (Oduwole) at such a young age looking to change the world,” Fonseca said. “At Logix, we’re a leading lender of electric vehicles, helping our members as they move toward reducing emissions and improved fuel economy. I’m grateful to Ismachiah for the opportunity to pledge and highlight the importance of making a difference. We applaud him for thinking about the future in smarter ways.”

Oduwole has identified companies in the United States and worldwide that are making a clear mark in climate awareness as a good example for the next generation. He then began to invite the leadership of these companies to sign the ball and make a pledge. So far, the ball has been signed by the CEOs of Marriott Hotels, Hawaiian Airlines, FedEx, as well as players from UK Premier League teams Arsenal Football Club and Tottenham Hotspurs. He has been traveling the world to meet leaders and have them take a pledge for sustainability.

“It all started when I went to Qatar for the World Cup. I was really excited. Then, I thought, ‘Why don’t I make a project out of it?’ So, I brought these two climate soccer balls with me. I wanted people to sign my climate ball. I got (leaders) from 28 different countries to sign them, such as USA, England, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and many more,” Oduwole said. “When they sign my climate ball, they pledge to do something to prevent or slow down climate change.”

Logix headquarters, on which construction was completed in 2021, features an array of solar panels to offset energy needs for the campus. Employees are provided reusable bottles to refill at water filling stations throughout the building, reducing the amount of waste produce by single-use plastic containers. The employee parking garage was built with nine dual charging stations for electric vehicles and recently has increased that number to 36 to meet employee demand.

“It’s our goal to make it easy for staff to charge their cars and also make a difference in the environment,” Fonseca said. “From these efforts, Logix has avoided 82,226 kg greenhouse gas emissions, which is equal to planting 2,108 trees and letting them grow for 10 years.”

Inspired by this opportunity, Logix recently made a contribution to the Santa Monica Mountains Fund to support Open Outdoors for Kids, an educational program for fourth graders to learn about environmental conservation and stewardship.

“If we continue to provide knowledge, awareness and resources to this next generation, we can encourage creativity in regards to sustainability and make even small changes,” Fonseca said. “These adjustments can have a significant impact and go a long way; Ismachiah reminds us of that ability.”

About Logix

Chartered in 1937, Logix Federal Credit Union offers a full menu of financial services, and surcharge-free access to 30,000 ATMs nationwide. The credit union is rated “superior” for financial strength, and is the largest credit union headquartered in Los Angeles County, with more than 240,000 members and $9.9 billion in assets. Logix operates 18 branches in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Federally insured by NCUA. Logix is an Equal Housing Lender. NMLS ID 503781. For more information, visit www.lfcu.com.