BEAUMONT, Texas– Education First Federal Credit Union (EFFCU) announced charitable donations of more than $225,000 for 2016, all of which benefitted Southeast Texas.
Several donations focused on the credit union’s support of education, which has been rooted in the heart of our existence since opening our doors in 1952. One such program, We’re Paying It Forward, allows members to designate a portion of the interest they pay on a loan to a school of their choice. In 2016, the program provided $25,000 in undesignated funds to schools in our area. EFFCU also awarded $40,000 in college scholarships for high school seniors and continued its longtime support of Lamar University.
EFFCU said it is proud to support social causes in the community as well. This year, organizations such as Girls Haven, Boys Haven, Relay for Life, Southeast Texas Food Bank, YMBL, CASA of Southeast Texas, Cruisin’ Silsbee and Some Other Place were just a few of the local organizations that benefitted from EFFCU’s commitment to the community.
“We are always eager to reach out and touch someone’s life,” said Community Relations Director Christy Hardt. “These opportunities offer our employees the chance to personally make a difference in the communities where they work and live.”
EFFCU also continued its Blue Jean Fridays campaign, a voluntary program that allows its employees to wear blue jeans to work each Friday in exchange for a small donation to the fund. At the end of the calendar year, a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization in the community is selected to receive the donation. The recipient of the 2016 funds was Southeast Texas Food Bank. A check for $4,700 was presented to the food bank on Giving Tuesday, a day of charitable giving observed internationally.
EFFCU employees are also given the opportunity to volunteer together in the community through its Volunteer Investment Program or VIP. Employees participating in this program are given the opportunity to donate their personal time outside of work to help various organizations across Southeast Texas achieve their mission. In 2016, VIP donated over 750 hours of service to worthy organizations and projects across Southeast Texas.
EFFCU’s CEO, Keith Brenek, said he is “proud of the difference we are making in the communities we serve. Our employees’ good deeds set an example for our membership, which in turn, improves the lives of those in our community even further.”