SECU Foundation provides Mission Development Grant for Veterans program and new center
RALEIGH, NC (March 18, 2020) — SECU Foundation announced its support this week for Onslow Community Outreach (OCO), a local non-profit in Jacksonville whose mission is to help meet the basic needs of vulnerable populations in Onslow County. The $40,000 in funding from the Foundation was awarded as a Mission Development grant, which will help the organization develop next steps to deliver a new program of services for veterans in eastern North Carolina — Veterans Emerging Toward Stability (VETS) — and achieve their goal of building a new services center. SECU Foundation Executive Director Jama Campbell presented a ceremonial check to officials from Onslow Community Outreach during an event held in Jacksonville.
Formerly called Onslow Community Ministries, OCO began when a small group of concerned Onslow County citizens borrowed a small kitchen from a local church, put on a pot of soup, and stood ready to serve the hungry. Services currently offered by the non-profit include a homeless shelter for individuals and families, a soup kitchen, and a free medical and dental clinic. The addition of the VETS program will provide resources for housing, food, healthcare, and education to over 450 veterans in the region annually. According to OCO, Onslow County has the 5th highest population of veterans in the state – roughly 70% of the county’s nearly 193,700 residents are affiliated with the military.
“Onslow Community Outreach appreciates the support given by the SECU Foundation to Veterans Emerging Towards Stability and our building campaign,” said Theo McClammy, OCO Executive Director. “VETS is a regional program that will assist veterans and military dependents and families. The Foundation’s grant will strengthen our ability to implement VETS and to relocate services in a sustainable manner.”
“This organization has been serving individuals and families from communities surrounding Jacksonville since 1990, providing a helping hand with food, housing, and medical resources,” stated Ms. Campbell. “The commitment and dedication that Onslow Community Outreach, its board members, and volunteers have shown through their work is inspiring. We take great pride in helping them move forward with increasing their capacity by building upon their strengths and developing solid strategies that will carry them far into the future.”
About SECU and the SECU Foundation
A not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members, SECU has been providing employees of the state of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for 85 years. SECU is the second largest credit union in the United States with $53 billion in assets and serves over 2.6 million members through 273 branch offices, over 1,100 ATMs, 24/7 Member Services via phone, www.ncsecu.org and a Mobile App. The SECU Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization funded by the contributions of SECU members, promotes local community development in North Carolina primarily through high impact projects in the areas of housing, education, healthcare, and human services. Since 2004, SECU Foundation has made a collective financial commitment of over $235 million for initiatives to benefit North Carolinians statewide.
World Council of Credit Unions is the global trade association and development platform for credit unions. World Council promotes the sustainable development of credit unions and other financial cooperatives around the world to empower people through access to high quality and affordable financial services. World Council advocates on behalf of the global credit union system before international organizations and works with national governments to improve legislation and regulation. Its technical assistance programs introduce new tools and technologies to strengthen credit unions' financial performance and increase their outreach.
World Council has implemented 300+ technical assistance programs in 90 countries. Worldwide, 86,451 credit unions in 118 countries serve 375 million people. Learn more about World Council's impact around the world at www.woccu.org.
