Teachers Federal Credit Union Shows Commitment to Community Over Past Six Months

Teachers Federal Credit Union Six-Month Community Initiative Recap

Over the course of the last six-months, Teachers Federal Credit Union has remained focused on their mission to give back to the communities they serve through a number of initiatives. From donations, to employee volunteer opportunities, Teachers FCU is committed to being a good community partner to help their fellow Long Islanders on the heels of what has been a challenging year for everyone.

February 2021

Science Bowl

In February, Teachers Federal Credit Union announced this year’s sponsorship of the Brookhaven National Laboratory Science Bowl and a $4,000 donation, awarded to the top teams in both the high school and middle school bowls.

Since its inception, students from across Long Island have been competing in the science bowl - a regional competition that is a precursor to the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Science Bowl. Although this year’s tournament was virtual, these students still faced a round-robin style tournament followed by a single elimination final. Categories for the event include astronomy, biology, chemistry, mathematics, computer and general science.

March 2021

Children’s Miracle Network Hospital

Throughout the month of March, Teachers Federal Credit Union proudly hosted a fundraising campaign where balloons could be purchased at any Teachers’ branch. With employee and member support, Teachers raised $13,305.72 and both Teachers FCU and Co-Op Financial Services Miracle Match program matched $10,000, leaving the total CMNH donation at $33,305.72.

Teachers’ fundraising directly supports the Cohen Children’s Medical Center and helps fund critical treatments, healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care. Thanks to the generosity of members, employees and Co-Op Financial Services, Teachers was able to exceed their donation goal.

April 2021

Teachers Appreciation Week Contest

In a year unlike any other, where teachers were asked to support students like never before, Teachers FCU held a contest and awarded three $1,500 classroom grants during Teacher Appreciation Week in May 2021. Any K-12 teacher who worked in a public or private school district in the United States was eligible for nomination, and there was no limit to the amount of times a teacher could be entered.

Based on submissions in all categories, grades K-5, 6-8 and 9-12, three finalists in each were chosen, and it was up to the public to vote for the winners. Contest winners are as follows:

• Grades K - 5: Ms. Jeannine Lochren, Western Suffolk BOCES

• Grades 6 - 8: Ms. Ivette Rios, Ralph G. Reed Middle School

• Grades 9 - 12: Mrs. Melissa Romano, Central Islip High School

May 2021

ALS Ride for Life

May was amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) awareness month, and for the tenth year in a row, Teachers Federal Credit Union showed their ongoing dedication to the disease’s funding, research and awareness through the 24th annual ALS Ride for Life and Pinwheel Planting. Through sponsorship of the 24th Annual Honoree Recognition Benefit and the virtual ride, Teachers FCU donated $11,000 in pursuit of a cure.

This was the first Ride for Life without the founder Chris Pendergast, who sadly passed away after his 27-year-long battle with ALS, and the first time in 24 years that the event was held virtually. With Chris in heart, and morale still high, these obstacles didn’t diminish any efforts or dedication towards the cause - if anything, it inspired participation. To honor the theme of “A Cure is Blowing in the Wind'', Teachers volunteers helped plant 6,000 pinwheels at Stony Brook University, to represent the amount of lives lost each year due to ALS.

June 2021

Island Harvest Healthy Harvest Farm Donation

Island Harvest Food Bank proudly reopened after suspending farming during the pandemic, and Teachers Federal Credit Union was eager to support their initiatives and help provide increased access to healthy produce and battle food insecurity amongst the more than 300,000 Long Islanders facing hunger and poverty.

What started as a volunteer initiative for Teachers FCU employees during National Volunteer Month (April), grew into something much larger. Access to healthy meals and food options is critical to our well-being, and Island Harvest’s Healthy Harvest Farm supplies over 20,000 pounds of nutritious, locally grown fruits and vegetables across Long Island. Through continued weekly employee volunteering until October and a $20,000 check presentation, Teachers is committed to supporting Island Harvest’s mission, and enhancing and serving the communities we call home. See full announcement here.

The Great Brookhaven Cleanup

The Great Brookhaven Cleanup occurs every spring as part of the Great American Cleanup’s national organized cleanup, beautification and community improvement. As part of Teachers dedication to serving members and the greater Long Island community, the team volunteered to help the community look clean and beautiful, creating a sense of hometown pride and accomplishment.

Teachers Federal Credit Union served as co-sponsor to The 13th Annual Brookhaven Clean Up, and joined thousands of volunteers across Long Island to help clean up Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai. This was part of a national effort where communities across America come together to pick up litter, clean miles of roadways and beautify parks, rivers and seashores. In addition to the team participation, Teachers donated $2,000 to the cause.

Teachers Scholarship Awards

Rooted in commitment to making the pursuit of higher education accessible to all, the Teachers Federal Credit Union Scholarship and Robert G. Allen Scholarship were designed for just that. Teachers FCU has been awarding annual scholarships for more than 30 years, and was able to give $37,500 in scholarships this year to 15 high-school students throughout the New York region.

Education is at the heart of who Teachers is, and with rising costs, we want to make sure our student members are supported in their educational pursuits and have the chance to meet their aspirations. Teachers is proud to contribute to these students’ education on their path to success and continuous learning.  Scholarship applications were reviewed by a committee that evaluated academic achievements, extracurricular activities, community engagement and a written essay about how the students ambitions and career plans are smart for them and the community. View the full announcement with winners here.

Junior Achievement Virtual Sessions

Teachers is dedicated to furthering both member and youth financial literacy in the communities served, and volunteering with Junior Achievement of New York allowed for just that. Junior achievement gives young people the knowledge and skills needed to own their economic success, plan for their future and make smart academic and economic choices.

As part of their virtual volunteer experience, Teachers hosted two virtual curriculum sessions for Patchogue-Medford schools. For National Mentoring Month, Teachers took part in the virtual career speaker series with expertise from a Member Experience Specialist, and later taught the Be Entrepreneurial curriculum. By educating the youth of today, it helps form the leaders of tomorrow!

Sock Donation

Hands and Hearts Across the Oceans started in November of 2020 with the goal of helping people across the globe by donating clothes, food, shoes, books, school supplies and other learning materials for enhancement of education. Tied to the mission to help the less fortunate, Hands and Hearts Across the Oceans partnered with Teachers for their “Sock It To Me” initiative - collecting socks for the houseless in Long Island shelters.

Teachers asked employees to bring in a pair of socks, and ended up collecting over 300 new pairs to distribute. Socks were brought over to Maureen’s Haven, a homeless shelter in Riverhead. The shelter serves about 40 people a day, and given this shelter’s importance for at-risk communities, this was a necessary contribution that was greatly appreciated.

Habitat for Humanity June Build

Teachers is a proud partner of Habitat for Humanity and was happy to lend a hand in the most recent build. The team was excited to be back, and help to construct a home for a family in East Patchogue, New York.

Typically, the team can be seen in branches assisting members with their financial needs, but office attire was switched out with hard hats to assist on this project. Teachers is continuously striving to make a positive impact in the community, and looks forward to continuing involvement with Habitat for Humanity for years to come.