Public Invited To Help With Donations At Branch Locations, Offers Tuna Cans For Sale In Branches

Portland, Ore (December, 2011) –Throughout the holiday season, Advantis Credit Union members and community supporters will help address the Portland area’s emergency need for non-perishable, high-protein foods for hungry families and children.  Advantis hopes to beat last year’s cash contributions of $7,300 and encourages members and community to help them fill food barrels stationed in branch lobbies. 

The credit union makes it easy for donors by selling $1 cans of tuna in all Advantis branches.  With a stressed economy, unemployment still high and nutritious food scarce for many families, the Sunshine Division has been experiencing fewer donations for those in need of support.

“Foods high in protein, such as tuna fish, play such a vital role in the fundamentals of fighting hunger and providing hunger relief; and that need for nutritious foods is prevalent year-round,” said Officer Phil Kent of the Portland Police Bureau Sunshine Division.  “We applaud Advantis Credit Union for their leadership in helping us stock our pantry and spreading the word on this critical need for food- and fund-raising year-round.”

Advantis has been a supporter and community partner of the Portland Police Bureau’s Sunshine Division for over 27 years according to Wendy Edwards, VP of Marketing and Human Resources for Advantis Credit Union.  The Sunshine Division supplies over 800 boxes of food each month to local families in need.

Helpful donations are critical year-round and include:

• foods high in protein (like tuna and peanut butter)
• breakfast cereal — both hot and cold
• whole-grain pasta
• canned vegetables and fruit
• baby food, formula, diapers

No stranger to community service, Advantis has been recognized as one of the top 10 small companies in Oregon for supporting charitable projects in the community. Advantis has contributed $276,000 and over 800 volunteer hours to charitable causes since 2009. Advantis points to its core values– to make a difference in the communities it serves as their ongoing mission.

About Advantis Credit Union

Advantis Credit Union, with over $815 million in assets, is one of Oregon’s largest member-owned not-for-profit, financial cooperatives with over 45,000 members and five branches in the Portland metro area. Advantis is one of the oldest credit unions in Oregon, serving the Portland metro area for over 83 years. Membership is open to anyone who lives, works or is a member of an organization in Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Hood River, Lane, Linn, and Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Washington, or Yamhill counties in Oregon and anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in the state of Washington.

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 Contact Information:

Wendy Edwards
Vice President of Marketing & Human Resources
503-785-2569
wedwards@advantiscu.org

Claudia Johnson
Claudia Johnson Strategic Communications
503-799-2220
claudia@claudiajohnson.com

Misti Rooney
Community Relations Officer
503-785-2548
mrooney@advantiscu.org

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