RALEIGH, N.C.–State Employees’ Credit Union added a beneficial element to its recent annual membership meeting, using the event as a vehicle to drive home a big bounty for North Carolina food banks.
Nearly 1,100 SECU volunteers and staff from around the state brought much-needed canned and boxed food items for the cause. When the tally was completed by Food Bank officials, more than 1,400 pounds had been collected to benefit local citizens in need.
The food drive served as an extension of a current SECU Foundation project announced in August – a $1.2-million grant that will provide six million meals over the next three years to citizens served by North Carolina food banks. Funded solely by SECU members, the Foundation’s grant translates into one extra meal per year funded by each of the CU’s two-million members.
“We are so grateful to the members of State Employees’ Credit Union for donating over 1,400 pounds of food during their Annual Meeting,” said NC Association of Feeding America Food Banks Executive Director Alan Briggs. “This food will provide over a thousand meals to families in need. Coming fresh on the heels of the SECU Foundation grant of $1.2 million to our state's food banks, we are reminded of the personal commitment of SECU members to the goals of the institution.”
SECU Board Chair Jim Johnson added, “The Membership Meeting provided an excellent opportunity to show support for local food banks and their efforts to combat hunger in our state. As always, SECU members responded generously to the call for help, making a substantial impact for fellow citizens with their donations.”
Meanwhile, the meeting was themed Keeping it Local, highlighting the member-owned cooperative’s focus on North Carolina and its steadfast mission of service to state and public school employees and their families.
The day’s events began with a volunteer luncheon and presentation by motivational speaker Charles Marshall, followed by educational sessions covering topics of interest requested by SECU volunteers. An afternoon general meeting and board of directors election concluded the day’s events.
During the General Meeting session, SECU Board Chair Jim Johnson spoke to attendees about their cooperative’s consistent focus on North Carolina – its members, their families and local communities, and expanded on what “keeping it local” means for its more than two-million members. SECU’s positive financial performance and continued growth were also acknowledged by Johnson, remarking to attendees, “The growth at your Credit Union over the years has always been the result of your ongoing trust and support for SECU.”
SECU President Jim Blaine later presented an overview of the credit union’s continued safety, soundness, efficiency and effectiveness with historical data and current statistics. He spoke about the cooperative’s successes resulting from its steady focus on North Carolina and solid belief in its core purpose and principles, also noting the progress in positioning SECU for future sustainability and continued growth.
Following Blaine was a presentation by SECU Foundation Board Chair McKinley Wooten, Jr. who shared a summary and video of SECU Foundation’s achievements from the past year. Wooten acknowledged the support and willingness of members to help make a positive change for others. Two new milestones were also reported as the Foundation entered its second decade, with Wooten noting that SECU members have invested over $100 million in North Carolina and reached the $50 million mark in cumulative total scholarships awarded through the Foundation’s “People Helping People” scholarship program.
Interest-Free Loan For Rescue Mission
Separately, the SECU Foundation recently joined with other capital campaign donors and the local community to help Cleveland County Rescue Mission open its doors to a larger facility in Shelby, N.C., earlier this year, providing shelter for homeless men who are trying to improve their lives. SECU Foundation provided a $500,000 no-interest construction loan to the Inter-Faith Alliance Corporation for the renovation of a three-story building that is now the Rescue Mission’s new home.
The Foundation partnered with the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) for the construction loan to help the Rescue Mission meet the increased needs of the current homeless population in Cleveland County. NCHFA, a public agency, provides permanent financing to help non-profits like Inter-Faith Alliance build housing in support of individuals and families experiencing economic and social challenges. Cleveland County’s Rescue Mission, renovated to a 40-bed facility, is equipped to provide both 24/7 emergency shelter and transitional housing programs for homeless men, with an on-site medical clinic, counseling services and an education/computer lab for skills training to help them transition to independent living.
“We are grateful for the collaborative effort and generosity of State Employees’ Credit Union members toward the renovation of our new facility,” said Michael Gullatte, executive director of the Cleveland County Rescue Mission. “SECU Foundation’s support will help us provide warm nights of shelter for homeless individuals this winter season and beyond!”
Todd Currin, vice president of SECU’s Shelby branch remarked, “Cleveland County Rescue Mission has the support of SECU members who care and understand the need for expanded services to help the homeless regain control of their lives and break the homelessness cycle. We are pleased to work together with Inter-Faith Alliance Corporation and the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency to benefit the shelter’s mission of service.”