WATERFORD, Conn. – Charter Oak Federal Credit Union has received the Corporate Citizen of the Year Award from The Chamber of Commerce, Windham Region for its contributions during the past year that benefitted local communities throughout the Windham region.
“We’re honored to receive this annual award from the Windham Region Chamber,” said Brian A. Orenstein, Charter Oak’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our credit union strongly believes in helping the various communities that we serve in eastern Connecticut, and during 2015 we once again stepped up our Community Giving efforts to benefit these communities and their residents,” he said.
Charter Oak was honored during the Windham Region Chamber’s Annual Awards Dinner & Ceremony on May 4th at the Willimantic Elks Lodge. Each year, the Windham Region Chamber gives awards to exceptional businesses in the region that have been exemplary in their industry. The Chamber's Corporate Citizen of the Year Award is bestowed upon an individual or institution that has made very measurable contributions to community betterment over a period of time and whose efforts will continue to significantly benefit the community and the region in the future.
Since 2009 when it was established, Charter Oak’s Community Giving Program has awarded over $1.3 million in New London and Windham counties through grants, sponsorships, scholarships and community outreach. In addition to these efforts, Charter Oak increased its student scholarship program in 2015 by more than six times, awarding a total of $80,000 in scholarships to high school and college students, and this year will award $88,000 in scholarships.