Pennsylvania Foundation names new vice chair, approves 14 grants

HARRISBURG, Pa. (7/31/08)--The Pennsylvania Credit Union Foundation named a new officer and approved 14 grants at the foundation's summer board meeting July 24.

Dave Ackerman, CEO of USX FCU, Cranberry Township, Pa., was appointed vice chairman of the foundation. Ackerman replaces Bob Marquette, CEO, Members First FCU, Mechanicsburg, who recently completed service on the foundation board (Life is a Highway July 30).

Also elected to one-year terms were board Secretary Jim McAneney, CEO, Philadelphia FCU; and board Treasurer George West, director and treasurer, Pennsylvania State Employees CU, Harrisburg.

The board also approved 14 grants valued at $54,000. Eleven of the 14 grants went to individual credit unions. Of the other three grants, one went to a consortium of credit unions, one went to the World Council of Credit Unions, and one went to the National Youth Involvement Board to sponsor financial literacy at its annual conference.

Of the $54,000 awarded, more than $35,000 went to financial literacy efforts.

Four individuals from Enterprise Car Sales, a division of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, attended the meeting to participate in the presentation of a $7,500 contribution to the foundation.

The four cited the work of their foundation, which assists community philanthropic endeavors by its Pennsylvania credit union partners. It has provided ongoing support of tsunami and Hurricane Katrina victims.

Ohio CU Foundation Marks $1 Million Grant Milestone

June 11, 2008

By Myriam DiGiovanni

DUBLIN, Ohio — For the Ohio Credit Union Foundation there is no better way to mark its 10th  anniversary than by reaching a funding milestone of issuing $1 million in grants to credit unions.

The grant that eclipsed the $1 million mark was awarded in early 2008 to Chivaho Credit Union. Chivaho CU  CEO Laura Roberts applied for the grant to assist her with the third year of tuition for CUNA Management School.  The foundation grants also helped Roberts with her two previous years of management school and she will receive her diploma this summer.  

OCUF was incorporated in 1997 and began grant making in 1998 to support individual credit unions’ education and outreach initiatives that promote financial independence. 

 

N.Y. foundation unveils 10 ID-theft video PSAs

ALBANY, N.Y. (6/11/08)--The New York Credit Union Foundation recently unveiled at a reception in Albany a series of 10 video public service announcements (PSAs) that are part of a statewide educational and consumer campaign about identity theft.

The campaign, "Who are You? Identity Thieves Really Want to Know!" targets New York's 4.2 million credit union members. It features 15-second PSAs in English and Spanish. The PSAs feature Assemblymen Peter M. Rivera (D-Metropolitan) and James N. Tedisco (R-Capital), and a group of credit union leaders and members.

After the reception, the foundation, the New York State Consumer Protection Board and the Credit Union Association of New York, presented an identity theft workshop to New York State legislature.

The one-hour session was hosted by Senate Consumer Protection Chair Charles J. Fuschillo Jr. (R-Long-Island) and Assembly Consumer Affairs and Protection Chair Audrey I. Pheffer (D-Metropolitan).

Foundation Executive Director Diane LaVigna-Wixted addressed the audience.

"Identity theft is not only devastating financially to the victim, it also has negative effects upon the victim's credit union and all organizations that serve credit unions," LaVigna-Wixted said. "By working together on this initiative, we present a united front to credit union members and consumers, and promote the credit union difference through financial education."

Topics covered by the campaign include: identity theft: what it is, how it occurs and how to minimize risk; how to protect a Social Security number and computer; how to shop safely online; prevent skimming and recognize scams and frauds; and what to do if an identity is stolen.

Other components of the campaign include a webinar to introduce bilingual marketing materials to credit unions; train-the-trainer sessions that have trained 89 individuals from 48 credit unions, eight community organizations and New York legislative offices; and two- to three-minute educational videos with Mindy A. Bockstein, chairman and executive director, New York State Consumer Protection Board.

The foundation is providing PSAs and educational videos to credit unions to stream on the Web and in their lobbies. Credit unions also received a sample press release and newsletter article.

The campaign is a collaborative project of the foundation, the association of New York and CUNA Mutual Group.

Funding for the project comes from a settlement of antitrust claims brought by the Office of the New York State Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission. Additional funding was provided by Covera Card Solutions and a grant from the National Credit Union Foundation.

Prairie Meadows Awards Iowa CU Foundation $10,000 Grant

March 11, 2008

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By Myriam DiGiovanni

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Credit Union Foundation has received a $10,000 grant from Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino through its 2007 Community Betterment Grant Program.

Grant funds will be used to support the Credit Union Family Partnership Project, which will make Individual Development Accounts available to qualified families through participating credit unions. An IDA is a matched savings account where a participant saves for one of four specific purposes: down payment or closing costs on a first home, post-secondary education or job training, starting or expanding a small business, or purchasing a vehicle to commute to work.