News Release — VSECU
March 29, 2016
Contact:
Yvonne Garand, Senior VP Marketing & Business Development
Ygarand@vsecu.com
802-371-5197
Annual giving program, We Care 2, gives members a voice in charitable giving
MONTPELIER, VT, MARCH 29, 2016 — VSECU, a member-owned cooperative and not for profit credit union for everybody in Vermont, has donated $23,000 to Vermont charities. More than 4,300 credit union members directed the earmarked funds through VSECU’s annual We Care 2 program, by casting votes for charitable organizations that impact issues of food, shelter, heat, or financial education for Vermonters.
“At VSECU we work to foster financial, environmental and social prosperity for Vermont by employing our scale, resources, and cooperative spirit to make an impact on our members and their communities,” said Rob Miller, CEO of VSECU. “The We Care 2 program empowers all of our nearly 60,000 members with the opportunity to direct that impact toward the organizations they value most.”
This year, the We Care 2 program received 33 applications for consideration from qualifying charities across the state. The five finalists selected by VSECU’s Board of Directors Giving Committee were American Cancer Society Hope Lodge, Umbrella Inc., Vermont Center for Independent Living, Vermont Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health, and Veterans Outreach and Family Resource Center. VSECU members had the opportunity to cast a vote for their favorite organization based on demonstrated impact and community support.
For the first year in the program’s five-year history, We Care 2 funds were distributed based on the percentage of votes each charity received. As directed by VSECU members, the charities received the following We Care 2 funds:
· American Cancer Society Hope Lodge received $6,439 to give lodging to patients undergoing cancer treatment in Burlington;
· Umbrella Inc. received $2,728 for a job-skills program that trains women emerging from domestic crisis and feeds 120+ seniors in the Northeast Kingdom;
· Vermont Center for Independent Living received $3,886 to support self-directed independent living for disabled Vermonters;
· Vermont Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health received $3,545 to provide support to families with mental health challenges to navigate housing issues and meet other basic needs; and
· Veterans Outreach and Family Resource Center received $6,399 to support the food, shelter, heating, and other needs of disabled veterans in the state.
To learn more about We Care 2 and the winning organizations, visit www.vsecu.com/wecare2.
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