Ascend Federal Credit Union, Employees and Members Donate $18,740 to Support Middle Tennessee Tornado Relief

TULLAHOMA, Tenn. – Jan. 23, 2024 – Ascend Federal Credit Union, the largest credit union in Middle Tennessee, today announced donations totaling $18,740 to the American Red Cross to support relief efforts for the tornadoes that struck Middle Tennessee on December 9. The donations are comprised of $15,000 from Ascend and $3,740 from the credit union’s employees and members. The donations will be applied to local disaster relief efforts and continue Ascend’s longstanding support of the Red Cross.

Ascend employees held a fundraising event in December and, through early January, members were invited to donate online to assist individuals and families with immediate needs like food and shelter, as well as aid residents on the road to recovery.

“Ascend is proud to again support the American Red Cross and help our neighbors impacted by December’s devastating tornadoes,” said Ascend President and CEO Matt Jernigan. “We strongly believe in supporting our local Middle Tennessee communities in times of need, and we’re grateful to Ascend’s employees and members for sharing the same commitment.”

“We’d like to thank Ascend, their employees and members for this considerable donation to our ongoing disaster relief efforts,” said Joel Sullivan, regional CEO for American Red Cross. “This gift will enable us to provide immediate and long-term aid to the cities, towns and neighborhoods that Ascend serves and help to rebuild impacted communities.”

Ascend has been a longtime supporter of American Red Cross chapters in Tennessee through employee and member fundraising campaigns, blood drives, emergency response donations and event sponsorships. In addition, Ascend Chief Strategy Officer Leslie Copeland serves on the board of directors for the American Red Cross Heart of Tennessee chapter, which supports Murfreesboro and surrounding counties.

In total, Ascend has contributed more than $115,000 to local American Red Cross chapters.

About Ascend Federal Credit Union

With more than 236,000 members and more than $4.1 billion in assets, Ascend Federal Credit Union is the largest credit union in Middle Tennessee and one of the largest federally chartered credit unions in the United States. Based in Tullahoma, Tenn., the member-owned financial institution offers banking, loan, retirement and investment services from its 27 branches, more than 55,000 free ATMs worldwide, digital banking portal, and mobile app. The credit union’s mission is to serve by offering financial literacy education and giving back to its communities in a variety of ways. Ascend is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration. For more information, visit ascend.org.

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or on Twitter at @RedCross.