CU Donations Support Mental Health Services, Needy Pets & Low-Income Homeowners

Employees from Pentagon Federal Credit Union in Tysons, Va., attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new children’s helicopter playscape at the Olin E. Teague Veterans’ Medical Center in Temple, Texas on Jan. 31. The child-friendly play area was funded by a more than $22,000 donation from PenFed. The structure is unique in that it replicates a helicopter and is 30 feet long, 12 feet wide and features several swings and slides. It was designed and constructed by J.H. Woodworks, a central Texas vendor, with additional assistance from Pro Star Rentals in Belton, Texas and United Rentals in Temple.

Brandy Ralston-Lint (center right), SVP of corporate communications for the $9.8 billion Security Service Federal Credit Union in San Antonio, Texas, presents Eric Cooper (center left), president/CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank; Maria Alvarado (left), DaisyCares PAWedu program manager; and Patrick Brennan (right), corporate giving manager for the San Antonio Food Bank, with a donation for $2,500. The Security Service Charitable Foundation is helping animals and their owners remain together. DaisyCares is a non-profit organization whose promise is to save pets’ lives, and keep pets with their family, primarily through the DaisyCares Pet Food program. The donation will supply 25,000 pounds of food, enough to feed 4,167 animals. DaisyCares was launched in 2009 in honor of a beloved yorkie, Daisy. It was created to give back the gift of life that Daisy received, and to provide hope to all needy pets. DaisyCares relies entirely on donations and self-generated revenue to operate.

First Financial Foundation, the charitable arm of the $169 million First Financial Federal Credit Union in Freehold, N.J., surprised Brick Township High School woodshop teacher, Kim Haug with a $500 Erma Dorrer classroom grant for the 2019-2020 school year. From left to right are Jessica Tortorice, First Financial’s vice president of marketing and business development; Mrs. Kim Haug, grant recipient; and Matthew Brazinski, First Financial’s assistant vice president of business development. Haug submitted a grant application to purchase a woodshop jointer for her classroom as the high school is more than 50 years old and the current machinery in the woodshop is original to when the school first opened.

Employees from the $6.7 Ent Credit Union in Colorado Springs, Colo., present checks to employees from Children’s Hospital Colorado, representing its three-year, more than $1.2 million donation and $150,035 raised from its member campaign. Ent donated two cents to Children’s Colorado for every December 2019 debit card transaction. From left to right are Shannon Van Deman, vice president of the Children’s Colorado Pediatric Mental Health Institute/executive director of partners for Children’s Mental Health; Mollie Bell, Ent’s chief development officer; Chris Marshall, Ent’s chief technology officer; Jennifer Sussman, Ent’s chief marketing officer; Chad Graves, Ent’s president/CEO; Jena Hausmann, Children’s Colorado’s president/CEO; Matt Gendron, Ent’s chief engagement officer; Rich Scholes, Ent’s chief experience officer; and Jason Williams, Children’s Colorado’s director of operations for the Pediatric Mental Health Institute.

Suicide is the leading cause of death for Coloradans ages 10 to 24. To help fight the state’s youth suicide epidemic, Ent is partnering with Children’s Hospital Colorado by donating more than $1.2 million over the next three years to support mental health services in the hospital’s care network, in the community and across the state.

Mark S. Cochran, president/CEO of the $1.4 billion Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union in Lowell, Mass., presents Barbara Upperman, president of Friends of the Cameron Senior Center, and Pat Reppucci, board member, with a $1,500 donation prize for winning the Give-A-Click program. Community members visit the We Share a Common Thread Foundation website where they can learn about the worthy non-profit contestants and cast their vote for the one they want to support. The organization with the most votes at the end of the quarter is awarded a $1,500 donation from the foundation. Fourth quarter winner, Friends of the Cameron Senior Center, is a volunteer non-profit organization that provides financial support to the center so that it can offer activities, classes, special events, fundraisers and more.

Amy Etheridge, marketing and digital services manager, and Chris Slane, vice president of cards and payment services from the $2.7 billion Robins Financial Credit Union in Warner Robins, Ga., present a check to Rebuilding Together. Robins Financial recently sponsored Rebuilding Together by contributing $5,000 to the Annual Work Day Event. Employees from Robins Financial will volunteer to help rehabilitate a home for a low-income homeowner in the community. Work day tasks will include yard work, painting and other maintenance items.

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