Breakfast ‘On Us,’ Music Therapy & Shutdown Help: Community News

Employees from the $1.8 billion American Eagle Financial Credit Union in East Hartford, Conn., get ready to surprise community members with free breakfast during the credit union’s “On Us” event on Feb 1. From left to right are Santo Pirrotta, East Hartford branch manager; Priscila de Souza, East Hartford assistant branch manager and Dean Marchessault, president/CEO. Employees from the credit union partnered with coffee shops in the 11 communities the credit union serves to surprise people with free breakfast.

Employees from the $496 million BMI Federal Credit Union in Dublin, Ohio present a check to Tammie Showalter, accepting on behalf of Haiti Deaf Outreach. This donation is from the BMI FCU staff charitable donation committee, called EDGE. Each quarter, BMI FCU employees from the voluntary EDGE committee select several organizations to receive available funds. This donation will bring school supplies to deaf children in Haiti.

Bruce Foulke, president/CEO for the $2.4 billion American Heritage Credit Union in Philadelphia, Penn., and vice president of business development for American Heritage, Dorian Smith present a $170,000 check donation to Douglas Hock, EVP and COO of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The donation represents the latest milestone in American Heritage’s ongoing support of the hospital’s music therapy program. Since its inception in 1996, the American Heritage Kids-N-Hope Foundation has raised more than $1.6 million for local pediatric health care. Through the support of the foundation, the hospital is able to offer a music therapy program to the patients and has allowed the hospital to purchase musical equipment, provide a music therapist and bring in musical performers specially trained in assisting children with developmental disabilities.

Kelli Ellsworth Etchison (center), chief marketing officer at the $694 million LAFCU in Lansing, Mich., presents a $10,000 ceremonial check to commissioners of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Mid-Michigan. LAFCU made the $10,000 donation to support the work of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Mid-Michigan, a non-profit organization that advances equality, diversity and social justice. The commission focuses on mid-Michigan’s pressing needs of literacy, hunger, mentoring, education and community enrichment. It supports multiple community service agencies and promotes youth initiatives, including college scholarships, student essay and art contests, and the annual eight-day Y-Achievers Cultural Immersion Transportation Study and College Tour for high school students.

Employees from the $3 billion Tower Federal Credit Union in Laurel, Md., and the TowerCares Foundation present two $2,500 check donations to the Anne Arundel County Food and Resource Bank to help replenish food and other necessities depleted by the increased demand from those impacted by the recent government shutdown. In total, the credit union and its charitable arm, TowerCares, donated $5,000 to three different organizations: The Maryland Food Bank in Baltimore, Md., the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, D.C., and the Anne Arundel County Food and Resource Bank in Crownsville, Md.

Michael J. Augustine (left), president/CEO at the $145 million Frontier Community Credit Union in Leavenworth, Kan., presents an $11,435 check donation to Daniel Brazzell (right), executive director at Team Fidelis, to kick off its Team Fidelis Grant for its 2018 to 2019 cycle. Team Fidelis’ mission is to end the epidemic of veteran suicide by raising awareness, providing a bridge of hope and building camaraderie between veterans and their community. Its programs include providing mental health first aid training, help for homeless veterans, and ways for veterans and their families to take a break from their worries. Frontier Community pledged to donate up to $5 of every auto loan to Team Fidelis. December’s credit union donation included a $1,500 grant from the Armed Forces Financial Network and a $2,000 grant from the Heartland Credit Union Charitable Foundation. Grant funds will support the organization’s current programs, as well as certify at least two mental health professionals.

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