Stopping Crime & Stocking Food Pantries: Community News

Employees from the $1.2 billion Texas Trust Credit Union in Arlington, Texas, hold an impromptu food drive to aid the Mission Arlington charity, collecting enough food to feed 1,100 people. During the federal government shutdown in January, Mission Arlington was overwhelmed with more people than usual coming to its food pantry. That increase in demand reduced the pantry’s food supply, which led Texas Trust to spring into action. Texas Trust distributed collection boxes at each of its Dallas-Fort Worth area branches and within a few days the boxes were overflowing with non-perishable food.

From left to right, Norma Jajistar, office manager for the $766 million Point Breeze Credit Union in Hunt Valley, Md., stands with Shawn Kros, CEO at The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region and Sara Garbarino, senior director of resource development at The Arc NCR outside Point Breeze. Point Breeze donated $20,000 to support The Arc NCR. The Arc NCR currently supports more than 355 individuals and employs more than 300 people living in Harford and Cecil Counties. The Arc NCR offers services in the areas of community living, supported employment and training, a community partners day program for adults, treatment foster care, family support services, personal support, services for transitioning youth and transportation. The Arc NCR has helped people with differing abilities (intellectual and developmental disabilities) to live, work and thrive in the community for more than 66 years.

Jonathan Kirby (left), senior assistant vice president for security and investigations at the $4.9 billion Redstone Federal Credit Union in Huntsville, Ala., and Brian Smith (right), manager of security and investigations at Redstone FCU, present a $5,000 check donation to Huntsville Area Crime Stoppers Coordinator Nathan Nickelson. Smith is on the Crime Stoppers board and Kirby is board president. Redstone FCU has been a strong supporter of Huntsville Area Crime Stoppers for more than 20 years. The credit union became a corporate sponsor of the program, which has had a hand in solving 18,209 crimes, resulting in 3,698 arrests and the recovery of over $15 million in stolen property and narcotics. Huntsville Area Crime Stoppers has played a key role in the identification of suspects that have committed crimes against the credit union and its members. The organization operates solely on the support of its community partners.

Employees from the $726 million Gulf Coast Educators Federal Credit Union in Pasadena, Texas present a $750 check donation to Mayor Jeff Wagner for the Pasadena Food Bank. During 2018, Gulf Coast Educators FCU and its employees donated more than $244,122.97 to education and local charities in need. Every year the credit union donates thousands of dollars to schools in the form of donations, classroom grants, teaching awards and scholarships. In addition, many of Gulf Coast Educators FCU’s employees participate in the credit union’s employee giving program. The employees elect to donate a few dollars of their paycheck every month to charities in the greater Houston, Texas area. In return for their generosity, the credit union allows the participating employees to wear jeans on Fridays. In 2018, the credit union had more than 125 employees participate in the program.

Employees from the $1.5 billion Hawaii State Federal Credit Union in Honolulu, Hawaii, prepare food donation bags. The credit union donated $10,000 to the Hawaii Foodbank as the credit union kicked off its food drive to support the nonprofit’s 30th Annual Food Drive. Hawaii State FCU is accepting food donations at all eight branch locations on Oahu from March 4 to April 12.

Employees from the $3.7 billion SEFCU in Albany, N.Y., celebrate Valentine’s Day by allocating $20,000 to 12 different nonprofit organizations across New York State. Throughout the day, three randomly-selected members at each SEFCU branch were given the chance to choose an organization to receive a $100 donation. Select SEFCU employees were given the same opportunity to “share the love.” The funds were raised through Giving for Good, a unique program SEFCU established to allow people to donate as little as $1 per month to support organizations in the regions. The funds are being donated to nonprofit organizations across SEFCU’s geographic footprint that help the hungry, homeless and military veterans.

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