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Charter Oak Grant Will Help New London High School Students Get Back on Track
Charter Oak Federal Credit Union Awards $2,500 Grant to Life FAQs for New London High School Mentoring Program
 Charter Oak Federal Credit Union’s Community Giving Program recently awarded a $2,500 grant to LifeFAQs, a non-profit organization that provides character education and career guidance programs at area schools. Charter Oak’s grant will be put toward programming at New London High School, where LifeFAQs mentors students with serious behavioral issues participating in the school’s Online Learning Academy and the Alternative Discipline Program.
Providing character education classes and career guidance programs in New London County schools since 2001, LifeFAQs will mentor troubled, at-risk students in the classroom, during advisory meetings, and during school assemblies. Students will also attend seven presentations geared to help young people make positive choices.
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’Twas a Season of Giving at Hartford Federal Credit Union
The employees of Hartford Federal Credit Union had seen and heard of the challenges many of their members and neighbors in the communities they serve were facing during this past holiday season. Wanting to make a difference, the employees made several donations of toys, food, and winter attire to help those less fortunate.
● HFCU employees participated in the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program, purchasing 26 toys and gifts that were provided to local children, seniors, and residents of shelters. They also donated an additional 25 toys to Catholic Charities Institute of Hispanic Family Services in Hartford. These toys were distributed to the young children enrolled in their childcare program, the children of low-income clients that the Institute serves.
 ● The giving continued with HFCU’s annual “Change for a Change” campaign, when members and employees are encouraged to donate their spare change or a nonperishable food item to fight hunger in the community. The credit union’s members and employees generously provided $1,000 to Foodshare, which serves over 128,000 residents in Hartford and Tolland counties.
 “Foodshare is a remarkably efficient organization able to feed an individual for $30 a month,” said Edward Danek Jr., HFCU President/CEO. “We were grateful for the response to this year’s campaign and the impact it will have in the community.” An additional $200 of nonperishable food items was collected for the Saint Francis Hospital Emergency Food Bank.
● The credit union also presented the “gift of warmth” with a donation of over 100 winter hats, gloves, and scarves to the Saint Francis Hospital Coat Drive, held January 18th. All items were distributed to Saint Francis’s clinic patients and local residents in need. ■
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American Eagle Federal Credit Union Fund Awards $5,000 to
The Bridge Family Center, Inc. in West Hartford
The American Eagle Federal Credit Union Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving awarded a $5,000 grant to The Bridge Family Center, Inc. in West Hartford. This grant was presented at the Credit Union’s West Hartford branch open house on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012.
Margaret Hann, executive director of The Bridge Family Center, Inc. accepted the grant from William J. Dokas, president and chief executive officer at American Eagle Federal Credit Union, Jennifer Valenches, American Eagle’s West Hartford branch manager, and Maggie Willard, senior donor services officer at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.
“We are very grateful for the American Eagle’s generous support, which will truly make a difference for the teens in crisis who come to our safe, nurturing shelters,” said Ms. Hann. “This grant will provide basic needs for children and teens ages 11 to 18 at The Bridge’s three Youth Shelters/Short-Term Assessment and Respite (STAR) homes located in Greater Hartford.
 According to Martha L. Rennie, director of development at The Bridge Family Center, Inc., the STAR Homes provide a safe, caring, and nurturing haven for teens who have suffered trauma, violence, and abuse. “While the teens are at the temporary shelters, they participate in therapeutic counseling, group activities, and attend school,” Rennie said. “The Bridge provides for all their needs, including food, clothing, shelter, and medical/dental care,” she added.
With this grant, The Bridge will be able to purchase more fresh produce and nutritious snacks, emergency clothing, and toiletries/personal care items, and offer healthy recreational activities for these teens in crisis. ■
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The Bridge Family Center, Inc.
The Bridge was founded in 1969 to meet the needs of West Hartford community youth who were engaged in high-risk behavior, especially substance abuse, and who were getting into trouble with the law. The Bridge expanded its outreach efforts, opened a shelter for runaway and homeless youth, and began to work directly with schools. Today the Bridge is a comprehensive, regional nonprofit agency offering a broad range of services to children, youth, and families in the Greater Hartford area, with particular attention to serving those at risk.
About the American Eagle Federal Credit Union Fund
American Eagle Federal Credit Union established a Donor-Advised Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving to foster the Credit Union’s support for charitable giving and community outreach. The fund serves as the Credit Union’s primary source of charitable giving in the Greater Hartford area. The Fund provides grants in Hartford, Middlesex, and Tolland counties to support education and youth with an emphasis on literacy and personal finance; basic human needs including food, clothing, and shelter; and community development. The Fund enables the Credit Union to be actively involved with fundraising and charitable giving, while maximizing the expertise and experience of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.
About the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is the community foundation for the 29-town Greater Hartford region, dedicated to improving the quality of life for area residents. The Hartford Foundation receives gifts from thousands of generous individuals and families and in 2011 awarded grants of more than $28 million to a broad range of area nonprofit organizations. For more information about the Hartford Foundation, and its strategic plan, Accelerate Success, visit www.hfpg.org or call 860-548-1888.
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Charter Oak Grants $5,000 to Aid Norwich Homeless and Those in Need
Charter Oak Federal Credit Union Awards $3,000 Grant to Norwich Community Care Team and $2,000 Grant to Norwich Safety Net Team
Charter Oak Federal Credit Union recently awarded two programs administered by Norwich Human Services with $5,000 in grant funding through the Credit Union’s Community Giving Program. Recipient programs were the Norwich Community Care Team, which received a $3,000 grant and the Norwich Safety Net Team which received a $2,000 grant.
 Charter Oak’s funding will support a variety of initiatives, including the Community Care Team’s efforts at the Norwich Hospitality Center, where for the past eight years, Norwich has sheltered 60 chronically homeless men and women during the cold winter months. Services funded for the Norwich Safety Net Team will include the program’s Gold Wishes Program, which assists senior citizens in need; the Hygiene Closet which stocks free items such as shampoo and toothpaste and the Job Related Incidentals Program which provides items or services for individuals returning to the workforce.
For more information about how you can help either of these social service programs, or other programs offered by Norwich Human Services, please visit their website at www.norwichct.org, or call 860-823-3778. For more information about Charter Oak Federal Credit Union’s Community Giving Program including other Grant recipients, please visit www.CharterOak.org. ■
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360FCU Raises Funds for Animal Rescue Organizations
360 Federal Credit Union recently presented $500 donations to the Second Chance Ranch Equine Rescue and the Big Fluffy Dog Rescue.
Contributions were a result of fundraising at its recent Pet Day event, and through sales of dog, cat, and horse beanie babies as well as dog and horse chocolate pops in their branches.
 “I want to thank [360’s] fantastic team for all of [their] efforts and support of our ranch and [their] generous donation,” said Second Chance Ranch President Karen S. Bacon. “Second Chance Ranch has struggled over the years for the sole purpose of saving our equine family from abuse, misuse, starvation and the like. At a time when many non-profit organizations are failing, this gift is going to go a long way over these upcoming winter months.”
Elizabeth Zaccaro from Big Fluffy Dog Rescue agreed about fundraising challenges. “The economic climate has changed over the last few years and donations have understandably dried up,” she said. “The donation will be going towards oral surgery for one of our Great Pyrenees named Charlie, as well as towards ACL surgery for one of our Great Danes, Ella. Both of these dogs are sweet, amazing, and deserving animals. They have also been waiting over six months to have their surgeries, and this allows them to get the relief they greatly need. Thank you for being so generous with us and I am truly touched by the kindness of your employees.”
The credit union also held a pet photo contest that generated over 200 entries. More than 1,000 people voted for their favorites. The 13 pets with the most votes are featured in a pet calendar, which is currently for sale at 360FCU branches, or by calling the credit union at (860) 627-4264. Proceeds from the calendar will also benefit the two rescue organizations.
Second Chance Ranch (SCR) is a non-profit, volunteer equine rescue that provides quality care and placement for equines in need. Established in 1996, the main goal of The Ranch and its founders Karen and Paul Bacon is to prevent animals from needlessly going to slaughter and to find them loving homes. Second Chance Ranch animals are cared for by a team of dedicated horsemen who volunteer their barns and time to animals in need. Their foster care program has been designed to ensure that all donations go directly to the animals’ care.
SCR accepts any equine no matter the size, shape or breed. In addition, SCR accepts equines with all types of injuries, maladies, and special needs. They can be reached by phone at 860-749-8434 or by e-mail at screquinerescue@yahoo.com.
Big Fluffy Dog Rescue is dedicated to helping giant breed and mixed breed dogs in need. They value dogs of all breeds, but specialize in what the name says: big, fluffy dogs. They have volunteers in several states in the South and New England who work to help homeless big fluffy dogs find a home to call their own. Big Fluffy Dog Rescue works to save Great Pyrenees, Saint Bernards, Newfoundlands, and their mixes from euthanasia. They can be reached by e-mail at Elizabeth@bigfluffydogs.com. ■
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American Eagle FCU Fund Awards $2,500 Grant to Foodshare
 American Eagle Federal Credit Union awarded a $2,500 grant to Foodshare and sent 12 employees who volunteered 60 hours at Foodshare’s annual turkey drive on November 22 at its distribution center in Bloomfield. Employees gathered and loaded turkeys, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, onions, squash, apples, and bread into agency vehicles. Ultimately, the food was destined for Thanksgiving meals for the needy at Hartford area shelters, soup kitchens, and community centers.
The grant was awarded through the American Eagle Federal Credit Union Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. “This grant will be used to help sustain Foodshare’s year-round work helping the more than 128,000 hungry residents living in Greater Hartford,” said Gloria McAdam, Foodshare’s president and CEO.
Charter Oak FCU Donates Turkeys and Canned Food for the Holidays
Just in time for Thanksgiving, Charter Oak Federal Credit Union’s Community Giving Program and employees donated 280 turkeys, 1,673 canned goods and over $800 in monetary donations to area food pantries. An annual donation program held at the credit union, Charter Oak’s Turkey and Fixins’ Drive has donated hundreds of turkeys and thousands of canned goods over the past three years in honor of former CEO Larry Hertell.
Helping to increase collection success, employees compete in a Fixins’ Food War, which is held each November to collect the side dishes that accompany Thanksgiving turkeys, including cranberry sauce, gravy, peas, and stuffing. This year’s winning department was Charter Oak’s Auto Lending Department, which collected over 200 items.
Hartford Federal Credit Union ‘Sells’ Lemonade for Charity
Hartford Federal Credit Union held a week-long Alex’s Lemonade Stand in September 2011 at all four office locations and raised $500. All funds benefit the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and the fight against pediatric cancer. The stands are held annually at HFCU as this cause is very dear to many of the credit union‘s employees. Employees and credit union members enjoyed lemonade and light refreshments for a minimum $1 donation.
The Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is celebrating its 11-year anniversary since the first lemonade stand was set-up in the front yard of Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004). Over the past 11 years the stands have yielded over $30 million dollars to support advocacy efforts, provide grants for cutting-edge research, help children battling childhood cancer, and have taken us a step further in fulfilling her dream of finding a cure for all children with cancer.
American Eagle FCU Fund Awards $2,500 Grant to Operation Fuel
The American Eagle Federal Credit Union Fund awarded a $2,500 grant to Operation Fuel, Inc. located in Bloomfield. This grant will help Operation Fuel, inc. provide assistance to the residents living in Hartford, Middlesex and/or Tolland counties.
The grant was awarded through the American Eagle Federal Credit Union Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. “Many thanks to American Eagle Federal Credit Union, who dropped off a check for $2,500 to help families in Connecticut, stay warm this winter, “said Lynn McDonald, director of development at Operation Fuel, Inc.
Operation Fuel provides assistance to the residents of Connecticut who may have no other option to cover their energy costs. Its approval is income based, but private dollars allow Operation Fuel to truly help all of Connecticut’s citizens in energy crisis, regardless of income, at the discretion of our Program Staff and Executive Director.
About the American Eagle Federal Credit Union Fund
American Eagle Federal Credit Union established a Donor-Advised Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving to foster the credit union’s support for charitable giving and community outreach. The fund serves as the credit union’s primary source of charitable giving in the Greater Hartford area. The Fund provides grants in Hartford, Middlesex, and Tolland counties to support education and youth with an emphasis on literacy and personal finance; basic human needs including food, clothing, and shelter; and community development. The Fund enables the Credit Union to be actively involved with fundraising and charitable giving, while maximizing the expertise and experience of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.
Connex and WMRQ 104.1 FM Radio Hosts Shred Day in North Haven
Connex Credit Union partnered with WMRQ 104.1 FM Radio to host a free Shred-It Day at its North Haven branch at 412 Washington Avenue on Saturday, September 17th. The public was encouraged to bring up to two bags or boxes of personal documents to shred by Shred-It, a world leading on-site document destruction company. There were cool raffle prizes, giveaways and lots of valuable information on proper disposal of sensitive documents and identity theft prevention while WMRQ broadcasted live on site. Account experts were available to answer questions about Connex products and services.
Connex presented this service to people in the community as a way to help improve their financial lives. Shredding documents not only alleviates clutter in your home, but it helps prevent identity theft by safely destroying sensitive documents.
Here a community member gets her documents shredded with assistance from a Shred-It representative.
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GE Employees FCU Takes Community Involvement to ‘Heart’
Milford-based General Electric Employees Federal Credit Union staff participated in the Annual 3K New Haven Heart Walk at Savin Rock in West Haven in June 2011. Employees raised $775 for the American Heart Association. This is the third year that GEEFCU has supported the American Heart Association by participating in the walk and garnering contributions from fellow staff members. ■
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Connex Credit Union Awards College Scholarships to Three Exceptional Students
 Connex Credit Union has awarded scholarships in its annual competition to three exceptional college students. Each candidate submitted an application with transcripts and an essay addressing the topic, “According to Credit Union Management Magazine, eighty nine percent of K-12 teachers believe that personal finance should be part of the education process in schools. If you were teaching a high school personal finance class, what specific topics would you include in your curriculum and why?”
Sean Grasso of Wallingford received the Arthur B. Haesche Memorial Scholarship for $2,000. Sean, who currently attends Bentley University in Massachusetts majoring in Business, received a Presidential Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence, is a member of the National Honor Society and president of the Cultural Diversity Club. Connex established this scholarship in honor of Arthur B. Haesche, one of the founding fathers of the credit union.
Brittany Bendel of North Haven received the Nicolas G. Hackett Memorial Scholarship for $1,000. Brittany will be attending the University of Connecticut in the fall, majoring in Engineering. At North Haven High School, she was president of Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, a Southern Connecticut Scholar Athlete, Cross Country Captain, and Math Peer Tutor. Connex established this scholarship in honor of Nicolas G. Hackett, a longtime credit union volunteer who served on the credit union’s Supervisory Committee for more than 40 years.
Allen Copas of Wallingford received the Connex Credit Union Scholarship for $1,000. Allen will attend the University of Connecticut this fall, majoring in Electrical/Civil Engineering. At Lyman Hall High School, Allen was a member of the National Honor Society and was a varsity letter athlete in Indoor Track, Outdoor Track, and Cross Country. Allen has gone on a total of 15 mission trips to help rebuild churches, schools and hospitals, including three trips to Mississippi to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina, three Dominican Republic trips, and nine trips to West Virginia.
“Congratulations to all three of our 2011 scholarship winners,” said Tansley Stearns, Connex Vice President of Sales and Service. “These awards are just one way we live our mission to improve the lives of our members. With scholarship qualifications like being involved in the community and maintaining at least a 3.5 grade-point average, we reward our young members for being active and productive now and in the future.” ■
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Dutch Point Credit Union Announces Winners of Scholarship Program
 Dutch Point Credit Union, a $185 million community credit union serving over 16,000 members throughout Connecticut, has announced that five scholarship recipients have been selected to receive $1,000 each through the Dorothy J. Sullivan Scholarship program launched in 2007.
The scholarship program was created to honor the achievements of Dorothy J. Sullivan, the credit union’s previous President and CEO and first employee, and to address the credit union’s desire to return greater value and provide financial assistance to high school students pursuing a college degree.
“We were thrilled with the response from the students in our community and their interest in the scholarship program,” said Francis Proto, Dutch Point President and CEO. “The scholarship recipients are dedicated and hardworking students and showed great insight into the importance of education to their future.”
The scholarships were available to Dutch Point Credit Union members and were awarded based on academic record, leadership qualities, and community involvement.
This year’s scholarship winners were honored during a reception held at the Wethersfield Main Office on June 1, 2011. Information about the 2012 Scholarship program will be available on the website this fall. ■
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Mutual Security Credit Union Takes First Prize in ‘Decorate a Duck’ Contest
Mutual Security Credit Union proudly supported the Greater Naugatuck Valley Chamber of Commerce Duck Day Event for the third consecutive year on Sunday, June 5th.
 Being a Pintail Sponsor afforded an entry into the Chamber’s Decorate a Duck Contest. This year the Mutual Security Team created A Wedding at ‘Duckingham’ Palace, which commemorated the recent British Royal Wedding.
It was a great honor and pleasure for the credit union to be awarded the First Place Medal after having qualified 3rd in 2009 and 2nd in 2010.
Duck Day is an ideal example of an outreach event where community-chartered credit unions have the opportunity to interact with the public at large, all the while inspiring an approachable and friendly reputation. Thousands of attendees from all over Connecticut stopped by to vote and the Mutual Security staff was afforded the unique chance to evaluate their financial needs in a relaxed atmosphere.
The creative team at Mutual Security is already hard at work coming up with ideas for next year. Everyone is invited to log on to the Mutual Security website www.mscu.net to see photos from the event. Visitors were encouraged to visit the Stratford and Watertown branches where the winning entry was on display throughout the month of June. ■
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Charter Oak FCU Announces Scholarship Winners
Charter Oak Federal Credit Union presented seven local high school students with $14,000 in scholarships at its annual meeting held at the Groton Motor Inn on April 21, 2011. Rewarding student members who excel academically and are active in their communities through extracurricular activities or community service, Charter Oak’s Community Scholarship Program presented $2,000 to each of the students as their friends, family, and fellow credit union members looked on.
Hailing from various towns throughout the region, winners were Allison Michaud of Westerly, RI; Austin Konon of Colchester, CT; Bethany Holland of Gales Ferry, CT; Claire Chambers of Stonington, CT; Christos Haveles of Danielson, CT; Cooper Avery Johnson of Colchester, CT and Zachary Smith of Niantic, CT.
Winning students will be attending a variety of higher education institutions, including Providence College, Sacred Heart University, Stanford University, Texas A&M University, and the University of Connecticut. ■
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Northeastern CT Healthcare CU Awards Scholarships
Northeastern CT Healthcare Credit Union recently awarded Bernard F. Smith Memorial scholarships at its 46th Annual Meeting. As of this ceremony, the credit union has awarded more than $ 46,000 in scholarships. Bernard Smith was a credit union director. Student recipients are members of the credit union. ■
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Hartford Federal Credit Union Supports the Aetna Foundation Children’s Center
 When Hartford Federal Credit Union heard of the Aetna Foundation Children’s Center’s pressing need for remote listening devices for its interview rooms, but had difficulty in funding the cost, the credit union stepped in to assist in this important cause. The equipment will enable police officers and investigators from the Department of Children and Families to communicate with interviewers during the course of an interview, ultimately causing less stress to the child and furthering the investigation.
Hartford Federal Credit Union recently donated $500 to the Aetna Foundation Children’s Center at Saint Francis Hospital & Medical Center. The funds will be used to purchase remote listening devices for the Center’s interview rooms. The Aetna Foundation Children’s Center is the regional center for the investigation and treatment of child sexual abuse. ■
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Hartford Federal Credit Union Supports Cancer Patients
Several employees of Hartford Federal Credit Union are cancer survivors or have family members who have been touched by this disease. To recognize this, credit union employees participate in the Daffodil Days campaign to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. Additionally, Hartford Federal employees made donations to purchase plants and bouquets to be delivered to cancer patients (adults and children) at area hospitals. ■
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Connex Credit Union Donates to Guilford’s Women and Family Life Center
Connex Credit Union recently donated $475 to the Women and Family Life Center in Guilford, Conn.
“The support groups that we provide are offered at no cost to anyone,” said Liza Janssen Petra, Executive Director of the WFLC. “We’re serving about 30 percent more people than we served last year, which is the most we’ve ever served. This may be due to the economy as well as the increase of awareness from people getting the word out about our services.
“We don’t get any federal or state financial support,” she continued, “but we do benefit from private donations, grants, and fees charged for services like our yoga programs. We’d like to thank Connex and others for donations that allow us to keep going on.”
The Women and Family Life Center is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help women and families meet the challenges of daily living and personal development through education, enrichment, support, and referral service programs. ■
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Credit Union Participation Spells Fun & Success
Northeastern CT Healthcare Credit union, recently participated in the Second Annual Charity
Spelling Bee to benefit the Quinebaug Valley Community College Foundation. Participating credit union employees donned bear ears and paws as the “CUBS”—Credit Union’s Best Spellers.
The team finished a respectable 4th out of 19 teams, opposing such foursomes as Yale graduates and the Pomfret School
English Dept.
In all, the evening raised $12,000 to benefit the Community College’s scholarship foundation. ■
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Mutual Security Credit Union Encourages Art and Holiday Ornament Decoration
Mutual Security Credit Union, in cooperation with the Watertown/Oakville Chambers of Commerce, participated in the First Annual “Spirit of the Holidays” Celebration in early December 2010.
The credit union was once again proud to provide art supplies to the students of Saint John the Evangelist School, Saint Mary Magdalen School, Blessed Sacrament School, and Saint Mary’s School. The funds allowed them to create a display entitled “The Art of The Christmas Ornament,” in which students had made their Christmas ornaments.
The ornaments were on display and available for purchase with all proceeds benefiting the Saint Vincent DePaul Mission and Soup Kitchen.
Due to the generosity of the local community and that of the staff of one of
Mutual Security’s most community-oriented SEG partners, Platt Brothers & Company, all ornaments were purchased and a significant donation was made to help improve the lives for those less fortunate in Watertown.
The credit union and its employees were very pleased with the number of people who visited the branch and participated in this worthy cause. ■
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360 Federal Credit Union Honored by MS Society
 Sue Osowiecki, co-chair of MS fundraising activities at 360 Federal Credit Union, Windsor Locks, announced that the credit union has been honored by the Greater Hartford Chapter of the MS Society. The credit union received a plaque for being the company team that raised the most money ($2,343) for the 2010 MS Enfield Walk.
The credit union held a number of activities to raise the funds, including a Jeans Day, Employee Breakfast, and an auction. The auction, which has become a much-anticipated annual event, includes donated items from staff and local businesses. These items were auctioned off at an employee event. A credit union team also participated in the MS Walk.
“The disease affects so many people in our community” said Osowiecki. “MS fundraising for the Greater Hartford Chapter will continue to be a priority for us here at 360FCU.”
The National MS Society helps each person address the challenges of living with MS through a 50-state network of chapters. The Society helps people affected by MS by funding cutting-edge research, driving change through advocacy, facilitating professional education, and providing programs and services that help people with MS and their families move their lives forward. ■
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American Eagle FCU Fund Awards $2,500 to Connecticut Food Bank during the Holiday Season
The American Eagle Federal Credit Union Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving awarded $2,500 to the Connecticut Food Bank on Thursday, Dec. 9, in Middletown. This donation will benefit residents of Middlesex County.
William J. Dokas, President and CEO of American Eagle FCU, presented the check to Connecticut Food Bank’s Chief Development Officer, Janet Kniffin, during a distribution of fresh produce from the agency’s new mobile pantry.
The mobile pantry program helps to provide adequate nutrition that is sometimes lacking from usual meals, said Kniffin. About 100 Middletown residents waited patiently in the cold to receive potatoes, carrots, oranges, bread, and other food products in a West Street parking lot.
“Connecticut Food Bank's mobile pantry is an outreach program designed to bring fresh food directly to the neighborhoods where people are struggling with food insecurity,” said Kniffin. “These individuals and families may not have the transportation or financial means to access fresh, nutritional food products,” she added.
According to Kniffin, many local food pantries do not have the kind of storage facilities or the operating hours that they can bring in large quantities of perishable food. The mobile food pantry allows the organization to deliver 5,000 pounds of fresh food directly to people in their own neighborhoods. ■
Connecticut Food Bank has distributed more than 200 million pounds of food to six of the state’s eight counties since 1982. Its food comes from the food industry through community member and corporate donations and government subsidies. Connecticut Food Bank collects the food and distributes it to those who need it most through a network of 650 local food pantries, community kitchens, emergency shelters, and low-income children’s and senior programs.
The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is the community foundation for the 29-town Greater Hartford region, dedicated to improving the quality of life for area residents for the past 85 years. The Foundation receives gifts from thousands of generous individuals and families and, last year, awarded grants of more than $25 million to a broad range of area nonprofit organizations. For more information about the Hartford Foundation, visit www.hfpg.org or call 860-548-1888.
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Franklin Trust Federal Credit Union Holds Two Drives to Help Needy
 Franklin Trust Federal Credit Union is assisting those in need—both locally and thousands of miles away—by holding two different donation drives concurrently.
Non-perishable food items are being collected, which will help restock depleted local food pantries. Canned goods, peanut butter, and pasta are among the many needed items.
The credit union is also seeking donations of new or used sneakers and sandals in good condition. The footwear will be shipped to Haiti and given to victims of that country’s catastrophic earthquake.
“The holiday season may be over, but real need still exists,” said Franklin Trust’s CEO, Kiernan J. Dubay. “We hope that people will take these opportunities to help us help others.” ■
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Connex Credit Union Donates to … the Community
Connex Credit Union recently donated nearly $660 to St. Ann’s Soup Kitchen.
“St. Ann’s Soup Kitchen is run solely on donations, so we can’t say how much yours means to us,” says Luqman Abdus-Salam, St. Ann’s Soup Kitchen Manager. “It will help to provide food for the needy and the homeless that come to us each week. It is a large donation that we really appreciate.”
St. Ann’s Soup Kitchen started in 1989 and serves about 30,000 meals a week. Three full-time employees and volunteers help provide food for people in need each week.
Connex has also donated nearly $500 to Community Dining Room in Branford. “The Community Dining Room is honored to receive this donation,” said Patricia Kral, Executive Director of Community Dining Room. “This will help provide food support to our shoreline neighbors who struggle financially. We are especially appreciative during this holiday season when family dollars are being stretched even further.” ■
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