PLEASANTON, Calif. –Patelco Credit Union held a check presentation event for three Santa Rosa, Calif., charities: Ceres Community Project, Redwood Empire Food Bank and Catholic Charities of Santa Rosa, donating $78,000 to each via contributions made by Patelco, its members, its employees and through the kindness of the broader Bay Area region.
“It was heartbreaking to see our members’ lives shattered by the devastating fires and now nearly five months on, we wanted to show the North Bay that Patelco is still there for them,” said Patelco’s President and CEO, Erin Mendez. “It’s Patelco’s mission to fuel hope and financial well being no matter the situation, and many of the affected community members are still struggling to put their lives back together. This event was our way of saying they will not be forgotten.”
Held at The Family Support Center in Santa Rosa, local Patelco staff and executives were on hand to present oversized checks to representatives from each charity. Each organization is free to use the money as they see fit to the benefit of their constituents and the broader communities they serve.
During the wildfires last October, Patelco was forced to close three of its branches at various times, including the Santa Rosa branch, which at one point was just a city block from the Tubbs Fire. As a result, more than a dozen Patelco employees were temporarily displaced and more than 70 Patelco members lost their respective homes.
In addition to fundraising and volunteering, Patelco also enacted its Disaster Relief Program for area members affected by the fires. Hundreds of members took advantage of the benefits to get back on their feet, including:
- $500 cash now. Personal loans at zero-percent interest.
- Additional $5,000 to $10,000 loans at a very low, special disaster relief rate.
- ATM surcharge reimbursement. Members can use any ATM anywhere, and Patelco will reimburse ATM fees.
- No early withdrawal penalties. Patelco will waive early withdrawal penalties for members who withdraw their respective share certificates.
- Skipped or deferred loan payments. Members who are current on any existing personal, credit card, auto, boat and RV loans can skip or defer a payment for one month.