East Hartford, CT (November 14, 2024) |
Three nonprofit organizations devoted to food security and education have received a total of $27,636 from American Eagle Financial Credit Union (American Eagle FCU), having won the latest round of voting in the credit union’s Cash Back to the Community program. The program, which has been running since 2020, has donated over $490,000 to local organizations dedicated to improving their communities.
Once each quarter, American Eagle FCU donates one percent of its credit and debit card interchange income—the fees paid for credit and debit card transactions—to three nonprofit organizations in its service area.
Under the program, community members and American Eagle FCU members nominate and vote for the organizations that will receive the funds each quarter through the credit union’s website, social media, and email. The top three vote-getting organizations receive the donations.
In this quarterly round of the Cash Back program, the following three organizations received $9,212.33 each: Enfield Food Shelf, Windsor Education Foundation and Windsor Food & Fuel Bank.
“Supporting nonprofits like these organizations is what makes our Cash Back to the Community program so impactful,” said American Eagle FCU President & CEO Howard Brady. “Cash Back to the Community is 100 percent community-nominated and chosen, the funding is generated with each tap and swipe of our members’ debit or credit cards and we are about to top half a million dollars in donations since it began.”
“I am so thankful to everyone at American Eagle and to all those who voted for Enfield Food Shelf to receive the American Eagle Community Award. This is an incredibly generous donation,” said Kathleen Souvigney, Executive Director, Enfield Food Shelf. “It will provide enough groceries for our shopping families to enjoy 38,300 meals together—meals that provide an important bridge for families between their available resources and their actual needs. American Eagle was pivotal in helping to provide lunches for children in need this summer through our Lunch Link program and they continue to make a positive impact for families in our grocery program. We are so grateful to American Eagle for being such a strong and dedicated partner."
“For 16 years, Windsor Education Foundation (WEF) has supported Windsor teachers by awarding over 145 grants, enabling experiential learning opportunities that ignite student passions,” said Daniell Hynes, President, Windsor Education Foundation. “As a nonprofit, we rely on donations and fundraising to fund these grants. The generous donation from American Eagle Financial Credit Union ensures that WEF can continue to provide educational experiences beyond the classroom, year after year, and we are deeply grateful for their partnership in this journey.”
“We are incredibly grateful to American Eagle for this generous donation,” said Joanna Gould, President, Windsor Food and Fuel Bank. “This support allows us to continue expanding vital services, such as providing nutritious food, emergency assistance, and essential items to those in our community who need it most. Every dollar contributes to strengthening our programs, and this donation will make an immediate and lasting impact in addressing food insecurity and supporting families in Windsor."
The nominating period for the next quarterly round of Cash Back is open from October 21 to November 10, 2024, with voting to occur in December and winners announced in January 2025. American Eagle members and the public can vote for the organization by visiting americaneagle.org/Learn/About-AEFCU/Community-Involvement/cashbacktothecommunity
In Photo Above, Left to Right: Howard Brady, AEFCU CEO & President; Joanna Gould, President, Windsor Food and Fuel Bank; and Paul Vagnini, Development Chair, Windsor Food and Fuel Bank.
In Photo Above, Left to Right: Howard Brady, AEFCU CEO & President; Paula Pearce, WEF Secretary, Daniell Hynes, WEF President, and Braden Haddock, AEFCU Enfield Branch Manager
In Photo Above, Left to Right: Braden Haddock, AEFCU Enfield Branch Manager; Kathleen Souvigney, Executive Director, Enfield Food Shelf; and Howard Brady, AEFCU CEO & President.