CUs Support the Homeless With Blankets & $20,000 in Donations

Employees from the Maine Credit Union League present Shawn Moody (left), Maine Blue Collar Scholarship Foundation recipient, with a $10,000 donation on March 10. The Blue Collar Scholarship Foundation provides financial support to individuals interested in pursuing careers in Maine’s trade industry. Maine credit unions pride themselves on being leaders in providing innovative financial products and services that help improve the lives of Mainers and their communities.

Lauren Beppler (standing at right), community engagement specialist at the $197 million NET Credit Union in Scranton, Penn., educates Scranton School District elementary students on personal finances. Fourth and fifth grade students enrolled in the Frances Willard Elementary After School Program learned about the importance of budgeting and healthy spending habits.

The $773 Point Breeze Credit Union in Hunt Valley, Md., donated $10,000 to Hannah More Family Shelter, a comprehensive 85-bed shelter in Baltimore County serving families experiencing homelessness. From left to right are Lennore Brownley, office manager for the Point Breeze Owings Mills Office; Jennifer Lavella of St. Vincent de Paul Baltimore; April Wright-Ferguson of the Hannah More of Family Shelter/St. Vincent de Paul Baltimore; and Tonia Niedzialkowski, EVP/COO for Point Breeze. The shelter provides a wide range of supportive services, including meals, youth activities and tutoring, adult education classes, case management, housing placement and referrals. This marks the second major donation Point Breeze has made to Hannah More Family Shelter. Two years ago, the credit union donated $10,000 to launch a youth mentoring program for middle and high school students living at the shelter.

Alise Fowler, branch manager, and branch staff from the $2.8 billion Robins Financial Credit Union in Warner Robins, Ga., present a $2,500 donation to Ellen Palmer from the Perry Chamber of Commerce. The donation will be used for Freedom Fireworks, a free, family fun event that will take place on June 27 at the Georgia National Fairgrounds.

The $700 million Leominster Credit Union in Leominster, Mass., donated 131 new blankets to area local organizations in need. The blankets were collected through the annual blanket drive. Leominster employees either donated money to wear jeans on Fridays or donated blankets, Leominster members donated blankets, the Montachusett Area Rotary collected blankets and the residents of the Sunrise Senior Living Center made 19 blankets for the cause. Twenty-eight Massachusetts credit unions along with the Cooperative Credit Union Association participated in the 2020 Blanket Drive during the month of January. The credit unions donated a total of 1,371 blankets to the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless and other local agencies across the state. From left to right in the front row are Betty Barrett, Settimio “Set” Firmani, Jane Brousseau and Marlene Downey. From left to right in the back row are Evelyn Zimmerman, Fitchburg State University Intern; Lorrie Brodeur, activity volunteer coordinator; Leominster President/CEO John O’Brien; Yvonne Champagne; Barbara Dragon; Viola Godin and Rachel Terrel of Leominster.

Employees from the $9.8 billion Security Service Federal Credit Union in San Antonio, Texas present Ray Tullius (center), executive director for the Opportunity Center for the Homeless, with a $10,000 donation. Pictured from Security Service are Marisela Molinar (second from right), vice president of member service – El Paso; Sofia Gonzalez (second from left), assistant vice president of member contact center operations; Felix Cano (left), Montwood branch manager; and Edna Aleman (right), Missouri branch manager.

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