Teachers FCU Focused on Being a Good Community Partner

Teachers Federal Credit Union 2022 Six-Month Community Initiative Recap

Over the past six months, Teachers Federal Credit Union has remained focused on its guiding principle of being a good community partner. From donations and sponsorships to employee volunteer hours, Teachers continues to reaffirm its pledge by way of community service and supporting initiatives and organizations that promote education, human services, economic development, and research. In total, Teachers contributed over $125,000 and spent 1,223 hours volunteering in the community between January and June of 2022.

February 2022

Science Bowl

In February, Teachers Federal Credit Union announced its continued sponsorship of the Brookhaven National Laboratory Science Bowl and $4,000 donation. Since its inception, middle school, and high school students from across New York City, Suffolk County, and Nassau County 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. Teachers’ sponsorship provided 196 students from 34 schools with the opportunity to further their STEM education learn about workshops, programs, and internships that can support their STEM goals.

February 2022

Midnight Run

As a proud sponsor of St. John’s University Athletics, Teachers partnered with one of the school’s student-volunteer programs to give back to Midnight Run, a volunteer organization dedicated to supporting the homeless in New York City. Teachers donated $1,000 so that students could distribute food, clothing, blankets, and personal care items to those in need.

March 2022

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

Throughout the month of March, Teachers hosted a fundraiser supporting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals®. In addition to teammates and members donating to the cause by purchasing a Miracle Balloon at Teachers' retail locations, the organization matched up to $10,000 of donations, totaling $20,120. All funds raised went toward critical healthcare services for children in need at the nine Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in New York.

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals is a not-for-profit organization that raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than 7 billion dollars, most of it $1 at a time through the charity’s Miracle Balloon icon. Its various fundraising partners and programs support the nonprofit’s mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible.

April 2022

Island Harvest Healthy Harvest Farm

Teachers announced in a joint press conference on Earth Day, April 22, 2022, that it would continue its sponsorship and volunteer efforts with Island Harvest, accompanied by a $20,000 donation. Throughout the season, Teachers employees will volunteer at Island Harvest to assist in planting, weeding, and raking as well as distributing food throughout the community. See the full announcement here.

Island Harvest is a nonprofit organization on Long Island that supports over 300,000 Long Islanders battling hunger and poverty due to food insecurity. In total, Island Harvest’s Healthy Harvest Farm supplies over 20,000 pounds of nutritious, locally grown fruits and vegetables across Long Island to support its community’s overall well-being. 

May 2022

Teacher Appreciation Week Contest

During the nationally recognized Teacher Appreciation Week, Teachers Federal Credit Union announced the winners of its second-annual “Teacher Appreciation Week Contest,” honoring educators who have worked tirelessly to help inspire, encourage, and challenge future change-makers. Teachers awarded 12 educators with $1,000 classroom grants each and Teachers FCU gift bags for their students. Any K-12 educator who worked in a public or private school district in the US was eligible for nomination.

The educators selected as the 12 winners by popular vote include: 

• Grades K - 5:

  • Angela Boris - William Floyd School District, Shirley, NY

  • Robin Hughes - Hillsborough County School District, Riverview, FL

  • Patricia Ann G. McCaffrey - East Norwich Central School District, Oyster Bay, NY

  • Stephen O’Brien - Patchogue/Medford School District, Patchogue, NY

• Grades 6 - 8:

  • Kathryn Beleckas - Bellmore Merrick Central High School District, Bellmore, NY

  • Melanie Drinkwater - Canton Central School District, Canton, CT

  • Brianne Torre - South Country Central School District, Bellport, NY

  • Amanda Williams - Brentwood Union Free School District, Brentwood, NY

• Grades 9 - 12:

  • Eric S. Banks Jr. - Westbury Union Free School District, Westbury, NY

  • Andres Diaz - Morris Hills Regional High School District, Rockaway, NJ

  • Mindy Viggiano - Greenport Union Free School District, Greenpoint, NY

  • Christy Zummo - Sachem Central School District, Lake Ronkonkoma, NY

May 2022

Special Olympics New York

Teachers sponsored the Long Island Spring Games of Special Olympics New York. The event, which took place on May 21, 2022, included more than 400 participants who competed in track and field, swimming, powerlifting, and tennis. Teachers donated $10,000 and a group of volunteers assisted with check-in, athlete escorting, and lunch distribution, among other general volunteer work. 

The mission of Special Olympics New York is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. This provides continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendships with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community. 

May 2022

ALS Ride for Life

In recognition of May being amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) awareness month, Teachers Federal Credit Union sponsored ALS Ride for Life’s 25th Annual Honoree Recognition Benefit, donating $10,000 towards the search for a cure. In its eleven years of participation, Teachers has raised more than $85,000 for ALS Ride for Life. Teachers is dedicated to supporting the ALS Association in its mission to raise funds to find a cure, support patients and their families, and raise public awareness. 

To honor the theme of “A Cure is Blowing in the Wind,'' Teachers employees also volunteered to help plant 6,000 pinwheels at Stony Brook University. This number represents the number of lives lost each year due to ALS. 

June 2022

Teachers Scholarship Award Winners

For more than 30 years, Teachers has awarded annual scholarships as part of its commitment to making the pursuit of higher education attainable to all. This year, eight accomplished high school seniors were awarded with a $2,500 Teachers Federal Credit Union Scholarship, and five accomplished students were awarded with a $2,500 Robert G. Allen Scholarship.  

Teachers recognizes how costly higher education can be and is proud to support student members embarking on their journey of continuous learning and success. Teachers was founded with education at its core, and these annual scholarship funds reinforce our commitment to ensure that more students have the resources to reach their academic goals. View the full announcement here.

• Teachers Federal Credit Union Scholarship Recipients:

  • Alexa Gustafson of Selden, NY will be attending Oneonta State College.

  • Matthew Sparhuber of Port Jefferson Station, NY will be attending Lehigh University.

  • Sophia Pfeffer of Manorville, NY will be attending Boston College.

  • Ava Eriksen of West Sayville, NY will be attending SUNY Cortland.

  • Sophia Kumar of Jamaica, NY will be attending Ursinus College.

  • Tyler Hovanec of North Babylon, NY will be attending Rutgers University.

  • Nicholas Stamatakis of Deer Park, NY will be attending UNC Chapel Hill.

  • Emma LaMountain of Miller Place, NY will be attending Cornell University. 

• Robert G. Allen Scholarship Recipients: 

  • Megan Guarascio of Commack, NY will be attending Molloy College.

  • Jackeline Torres of Hempstead, NY will be attending Stony Brook University.

  • Natalie Kopala of Southold, NY will be attending St. Joseph’s College – Long Island.

  • Emily Mohr of Bohemia, NY will be attending Stony Brook University.

  • Michaela Barresi of Holtsville, NY will be attending St. Joseph’s College – Long Island.