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SECU Members Honored With Outstanding Business in Philanthropy Award by the Association of Fundraising Professionals
Raleigh, NC – State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) was recently honored with the 2012 Outstanding Business in Philanthropy award in recognition and tribute to SECU Foundation’s $5 million gift for SECU Cancer Center at Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC. Sponsored by the Western North Carolina (WNC) Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), the accolade was presented at the WNC-AFP’s annual National Philanthropy Day Celebration held in Asheville, NC. SECU Foundation’s contribution in 2010 helped spur Mission Healthcare Foundation’s successful fundraising campaign for the Cancer Center, which opened its doors to the Western North Carolina region in November 2011. Mary Ann Rice, SECU Senior Vice President of the Asheville-Biltmore Village branch, accepted the award on behalf of State Employees’ Credit Union members.
Operating since 2004, SECU Foundation has awarded more than $65 million in grants throughout North Carolina for high impact projects in the areas of housing, education, healthcare and human services. During the past five years, the Foundation has granted more than $6.5 million to a variety of western North Carolina organizations for projects including the Jackson County Public Library Complex in Jackson County, Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care in Caldwell County, Yancey County Library SECU Information Gateway in Yancey County, and Hospice and Palliative Care of Iredell County.
Jim Barber, SECU Foundation Board Chair comments, “On behalf of SECU members we are very excited to receive this award in honor of the Foundation’s $5 million gift for SECU Cancer Center at Mission Hospital. Our members, who solely fund the SECU Foundation, are truly compassionate and committed to making a positive difference in the lives of North Carolinians and their communities. Many will benefit from the wide variety of services and specialized care of the SECU Cancer Center, and we are happy to be part of bringing the cancer facility to fruition. Thanks to the WNC-AFP for recognizing the ‘People Helping People’ philosophy of SECU members.”
About SECU and the SECU Foundation
SECU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members. SECU has been providing the employees of the State of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for 75 years. With close to 1.8 million members, SECU provides services through 245 branch offices, 1,100 ATMs, 24/7 Contact Centers and a website, www.ncsecu.org. The SECU Foundation, a 501c (3) charitable organization funded solely 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.