SECU Foundation Grant to Expand Vocational Program for Students with Autism

Raleigh, N.C. – SECU Foundation recently announced the award of a $40,000 grant to Voices Together, an organization that helps children, teens, and adults on the Autism spectrum and with related disorders improve social/emotional learning, communication, and self-advocacy using music therapy.

Voices Together requested assistance from SECU Foundation to help expand its Pre-Employment Transition Services program for middle school students in Onslow and Wayne Counties.  The Orange County non-profit offers the vocational training program at no cost, helping these students develop the critical skills needed to overcome challenges to employment and the successful transition from school to community.

“Voices Together does a phenomenal job of using music therapy as a tool to help students develop communication, social and job skills they need in the classroom, at home, and in the community where they can flourish,” remarked Jama Campbell, SECU Foundation Executive Director.  “This is a wonderful project, and we are proud that our grant will help this organization expand their Pre-Employment Transition Services program to make a greater difference in the lives of these children and their families.”

Yasmine White, Founder and CEO of Voices Together shared her sentiments about receiving the Foundation grant.  “I’m so grateful that the SECU Foundation provided us with this grant, which will help us determine how we can expand our capacity and reach to provide critical evidence-based programming to more people in eastern North Carolina.  We look forward to working with the Foundation as we continue our efforts to not only increase our impact, but to increase and diversify our funding sources as well.”

 “On behalf of our Board of Directors, I want to thank the staff and Board of the SECU Foundation for its support in our work,” said Phil Buchanan, Voices Together Board Chair.  “Your grant will enable us to better service our mission to empower people on the Autism spectrum who are otherwise neurodivergent to transform their lives.  This grant will have a ripple effect, enabling us to have an even greater impact on more people, helping them to thrive.”

About SECU and the SECU Foundation

A not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members, SECU has been providing employees of the state of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for over 84 years.  SECU is the second largest credit union in the U.S. with over $51 billion in assets and serves over 2.6 million members through 274 branch offices, over 1,100 ATMs, 24/7 Member Services via phone, www.ncsecu.org and a Mobile App.  The SECU Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization funded by the contributions of SECU members, promotes local community development in North Carolina primarily through high impact projects in the areas of housing, education, healthcare, and human services.  Since 2004, SECU Foundation has made a collective financial commitment of over $216 million for initiatives to benefit North Carolinians statewide.