American Eagle Financial Credit Union Announces Second Quarter Recipients of Cash Back to the Community Program

EAST HARTFORD, CONN. – July 10, 2020 – American Eagle Financial Credit Union (AEFCU) today announced the recipients of nearly $20,000 in donations from its participatory funding program, Cash Back to the Community.

Nonprofit organizations Seniors Job Bank of Greater Hartford in West Hartford, Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford in Hartford and Quinnipiac University Dance Marathon in Hamden each received a donation of $6,575 for earning the most votes in AEFCU’s second quarter Cash Back to the Community program. More than 240 organizations were nominated and 4,447 total votes cast from AEFCU members and the general public for this quarterly giving philanthropic effort.

Throughout 2020, AEFCU is donating one percent of its credit and debit card interchange income to three nonprofit and/or 501(c)(3) organizations each quarter through the Cash Back to the Community program. Funding for the program is generated each time its members use an American Eagle Financial Credit Union credit or debit card. At the end of each quarter, one percent of the total interchange income–the fee paid for credit and debit card transactions–is being distributed to the three top qualified nonprofits as voted on by a combination of the Credit Union’s members and the public.

Through the first two quarters of 2020, AEFCU’s Cash Back to the Community program has provided $40,266 to nonprofits statewide.

“Cash Back to the Community has become a very popular and effective way to invite our members and public to play an active role in our philanthropic efforts. The program’s second quarter total votes of 4,447 was 215 percent higher than the previous quarter. We encourage the public to continue playing an integral role in selecting worthy nonprofits to receive our funding,” said Dean Marchessault, president and chief executive officer of American Eagle Financial Credit Union. “As Connecticut’s largest community-focused credit union, we are always concentrated on making the places where we live and work better, and responding quickly during critical times,” added Marchessault.

Seniors Job Bank is a nonprofit organization created in 1974, dedicated to helping people over the age of 50 find part-time work in the West Hartford community and surrounding towns. The organization connects jobseekers with part-time job opportunities in businesses, municipalities, and nonprofits as well as per diem work with individuals. “American Eagle’s donation is especially welcome now, as the COVID-19 virus crisis has made fundraising even more challenging than it usually is. The money will help us continue to connect folks over 50 seeking work with businesses and households that have work to be done,” said Bernie Weiss, president, Seniors Job Bank of Greater Hartford. To learn more about Seniors Job Bank, visit www.seniorsjobbankct.org.

Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford (LVGH), a private non-profit organization, has provided adult literacy services to the Greater Hartford community since 1972. Serving 20 towns, its cutting edge, student-centered, technology enriched programs teach nearly 900 adults each year the reading and writing, English proficiency, math, high school completion, citizenship, and job readiness skills they need to succeed. LVGH students are age 18 and over. About two-thirds take classes in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program, representing over 80 countries around the world. The other third are native English speakers who generally read and write at or below a sixth-grade reading level.
“Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford is incredibly fortunate to receive this donation from the Cash Back to the Community program. We recently moved our literacy classes and career services to an online format to give our students the opportunity to learn and grow in the safety of their homes. This funding will allow us to continue the transition to online learning and to help our students achieve their literacy and life goals,” said Stephen Morris Assistant director, Operations, Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford. For more information about LVGH, visit www.lvgh.org.

Quinnipiac University Dance Marathon (QTHON) benefits the Children’s Miracle Network and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. Students involved in a campus’ dance marathon organization spend a year gaining leadership, teamwork, and nonprofit business experience while raising funds and awareness for their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. The year culminates with an 8-40-hour dance marathon on each campus where students get to meet patient families treated at their local hospital, participate in games and dancing, and reveal their annual fundraising total. “This donation means more to our QTHON family than words can describe. Our fight for the kids never stops and we appreciate American Eagle’s support. These funds will be used to provide life-saving care to children, supply the newest technology for the hospital, and enhance the patient and family experience,” said Hannah Baker, executive director, QTHON 2021.

Nominations and voting for third quarter recipients for Cash Back to the Community will take place July 27 – August 16. American Eagle members and public voting for the second quarter recipients of Cash Back to the Community goes from September 7 – 20, via American Eagle’s website or social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Established in 1935, American Eagle Financial Credit Union (AEFCU) is a full-service credit union offering checking and savings accounts, credit cards, auto loans, mortgages, business accounts and more. American Eagle offers banking online, through its mobile app, or at one of its 15 branches located in Connecticut. AEFCU has more than 150,000 members, over $1.9 billion in assets, and offers banking services to anyone who lives, works, attends school, or worships in Hartford, Middlesex, Tolland, and New Haven County in Connecticut, and Hampden County in Massachusetts. For more information about American Eagle Financial Credit Union, visit www.americaneagle.org.

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