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The $4.6 billion Gesa Credit Union in Richland, Wash., is supporting local firefighters, law enforcement personnel, teachers and veterans through its newly-launched Local Heroes Grant Program, the credit union announced Wednesday.
Applicants can seek a grant worth up to $5,000 from Gesa's $100,000 pool it has allotted for the program. In the week prior to the program's June 9 launch, Gesa gave five $1,000 spark donations to the following organizations that support local heroes: The Foundation for Edmonds School District in Lynwood, Wash.; the Walla Walla Fire Department in Walla Walla, Wash.; the Volunteers of America Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho in Spokane, Wash.; the Pasco Police Department Foundation in Pasco, Wash.; and the Wellness House, an organization supporting individuals with life-challenging illnesses and their families in Yakima, Wash.
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Natasha Chilingerian
Natasha Chilingerian has been immersed in the credit union industry for over a decade. She first joined CU Times in 2011 as a freelance writer, and following a two-year hiatus from 2013-2015, during which time she served as a communications specialist for Xceed Financial Credit Union (now Kinecta Federal Credit Union), she re-joined the CU Times team full-time as managing editor. She was promoted to executive editor in 2019. In the earlier days of her career, Chilingerian focused on news and lifestyle journalism, serving as a writer and editor for numerous regional publications in Oregon, Louisiana, South Carolina and the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, she holds experience in marketing copywriting for companies in the finance and technology space. At CU Times, she covers People and Community news, cybersecurity, fintech partnerships, marketing, workplace culture, leadership, DEI, branch strategies, digital banking and more. She currently works remotely and splits her time between Southern California and Portland, Ore.
