Credit Unions Brighten the Lives of Kids & the Homeless

Brandy Ralston-Lint (right), SVP of corporate communications for the $9.5 billion Security Service Federal Credit Union in San Antonio, Texas, presents a $6,000 check donation from Security Service Charitable Foundation to Jesse Reyes, director of distribution and volunteers for Children’s Hunger Fund. Operating worldwide for nearly three decades, the Children’s Hunger Fund began serving South Texas 10 years ago. Each year, the organization provides more than 40 million meals to children and families by way of Food Paks distributed through local churches.

Cindy Blake (far right), Parkwood branch manager for the $2.1 billion TruMark Financial Credit Union in Fort Washington, Penn., presents a $5,500 grant check to Genevieve E. Endy-O’Kane, principal at Stephen Decatur Elementary School (second from left), and faculty members for the school’s participation in the credit union’s Kiss A Pig Financial Literacy Fundraiser. In 2018, TruMark Financial awarded more than $60,000 in grants for local schools to use for personal finance resources. The grants allowed the schools to purchase items such as calculators, software programs and updated classroom materials.

From left to right, Mark S. Cochran, president/CEO of the $1.4 billion Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union in Lowell, Mass., presents Sandy Pelletier, president/CEO of Gateways Community Services, and Deb Tighe, director of development and communications, with a $1,500 donation prize for winning the credit union’s Give-A-Click campaign. The credit union’s We Share A Common Thread Foundation provided the donation to Gateways Community Services. The Give-A-Click program runs every quarter on the We Share a Common Thread Foundation website. Community members visit the site, learn about three worthy non-profit contestants, and cast their vote for the one they would like to support. The organization with the most votes at the end of the quarter is awarded a $1,500 donation from the foundation.

Employees from the $853 million Dort Federal Credit Union in Grand Blanc, Mich., gather after completing their United Way service project. In continuing Dort Federal’s commitment to the community, employees participated in the United Way of Genesee and Shiawassee Counties’ service project. Employees assembled children’s emergency comfort kits containing a hand-made blanket, a stuffed animal, activity books and a dental care kit. The kits will be given to local children during emergency situations by first responders.

David Sprague (left), president/CEO for the $1.3 billion Hanscom Federal Credit Union in Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., and Paul Marotta (right), chairman of the board for Hanscom FCU, present Christine Clark (center) with a $10,000 cash raffle prize to benefit the Cooperative Credit Union Association’s Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless Build a Bed Project. Through the end of December, ticket sales raised $17,640 for the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, the oldest advocacy group for the homeless in the commonwealth. Its relationship with the credit union and the CCUA is long-standing, marked by countless fundraising and support efforts.

Employees from the $851 million Neighbors Federal Credit Union in Baton Rouge, La., pose with Pat Shingleton, chief forecaster from WBRZ. For the 10th consecutive year, the credit union served as a primary sponsor for Pat’s Coats for Kids. In total, the campaign collected $94,002 and 7,483 donated coats. Additionally, Neighbors hosted a jambalaya sale sponsored by Coldwell Banker One. Neighbors participated in the campaign’s Pack the Pod Day and Distribution Day events. Neighbors helped distribute 8,212 coats to 172 schools in the Greater Baton Rouge area.

Please send your Community news items to Tahira Hayes at thayes@cutimes.com.