TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—First Commerce Credit Union partnered with iHeartMedia to help seniors cope with extreme summer temperatures, collecting new box fans and contributing $2,000 to support fan distribution programs in Tallahassee and Panama City.
Community members donated fans at First Commerce financial centers, while the credit union donated $1,000 each to Elder Care Services of Tallahassee and the Bay County Council on Aging to purchase additional fans for older adults who may lack adequate cooling in their homes.
"Supporting the well-being of our neighbors across all generations is at the heart of our commitment to community," said First Commerce Credit Union CEO Cecilia Homison. "We're grateful to everyone who donated fans and helped make our effort to keep local seniors safe and healthy this summer a success."
The campaign benefited two organizations that serve older adults across North Florida. Elder Care Services, which has assisted seniors in the Big Bend region since 1970, and the Bay County Council on Aging, which serves more than 7,000 seniors annually, said the donated fans provide immediate relief for older residents struggling with high temperatures. "The fans are something that anyone in Leon County over the age of 60 can come in and say, 'I'm really hot.' And we can immediately say, 'Yes, we can help you,'" said Nicole Ballas, chief operating officer of Elder Care Services.