Land of Lincoln Credit Union (LLCU) staff worked throughout the year to raise funds for its 2018 Charity of the Year, The Good Samaritan Inn. As a result of their efforts, LLCU staff recently delivered a donation check for $7,000. In addition, the staff at LLCU volunteered 355 hours of service to the Good Samaritan Inn in 2018.
The Good Samaritan Inn serves a healthy and nutritious meal every day to an average of 350 food insecure people without any cost, membership, or questions asked. The food service runs 7 days a week, 365 days a year, from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM. The LLCU staff voted to support The Good Samaritan Inn during 2018 and coordinated many fundraisers throughout the year including: bake sales, decal sales, cookouts, employee contests and member donations. Fundraising efforts were led by LLCU staff members Bethanie Hogan, Mortgage Loan Processor and Toby Ragaini, Chief Information Officer.
“LLCU is thrilled to be able to support an organization that makes such an impact in our community,” Ragaini stated. “Throughout the year, LLCU supports as many local organizations as we can either through monetary donations or hands-on volunteer hours. In 2019, we challenge other organizations to follow suit.”
“We loved having the staff from LLCU volunteer,” state Cindy Jackson from the Good Samaritan Inn, “they brought an energy each time to the point that we just knew it was LLCU volunteering.” LLCU will continue to partner with Good Samaritan Inn this year with a standing monthly lunch shift. In addition, they will begin a program there offering workshops to teach financial wellness and stability.
For 2019, LLCU staff voted to designate the following local charities to be supported as our Charities of the Year in each of our service markets: Decatur – Macon County CASA; Springfield – Helping Hands; Bloomington – The Baby Fold; Mattoon – Children’s Advocacy Center; Pana – Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry; Effingham – Big Brothers Big Sisters; Vandalia – Shop with a Cop; and Centralia – Centralia Youth Center.
Katie Salogga, Toby Ragaini, (both of LLCU) Cindy Jackson, Rev. Stacey Brohard, (both of Good Sam) Shea Walters, Pam Poland and Lataghia Harper (all from LLCU).