Portland, ORE., July 22, 2016 Advantis Credit Union has named the six nonprofit organizations that will receive grants through GROW: The Advantis Community Fund. The grant fund has contributed over $300,000 to local organizations and has funded 39 projects since the program began in 2011. This year Advantis invited the community and members to vote on 11 local projects, chosen by a selection committee, through the Advantis Facebook page and website. More than 20,000 public votes helped to determine the following six grants:
- Central City Concern will receive a grant to improve the environment for the women and children living at the Letty Owings Center by providing new furniture, a new freezer, safe toy storage for the play room, and shade sails over the children"s playground.
- Free Geek will receive a grant to upgrade their network structure, update wireless access points, and modernize their local area network (LAN). These improvements will increase their ability to connect the community and support volunteers.
- Kinship House will receive a grant to create an art therapy room for children. This space will provide over 1,500 therapy hours and help increase current capacity from 500 children to close to 700 children served annually.
- The Dougy Center for Grieving Children and Families will receive a grant to be used to print and distribute a teen grief journal for families at the Dougy Center and those who live in areas without grief support services.
- William Temple House will receive a grant that will be used to purchase a grab-and-go freezer and two fruit and vegetable stands, making the food pantry experience more dignified and streamlined for guests.
- The Shadow Project will receive a grant to support children with disabilities at eight high-needs schools, with an audio library and sensory tools and strategies that help books come alive for kids who are struggling to read.
"GROW gives our member-owners and the community a voice in how Advantis gives back," said Wendy Edwards, Advantis Credit Union"s senior vice president/chief administrative officer. "With more than 20,000 votes, we are able to understand the needs and priorities of those living in our neighborhoods. We"re honored to support these projects that will have such a meaningful impact on our community."
About Advantis Credit Union
Advantis Credit Union, with more than $1 billion in assets, is one of Oregon"s largest not-for-profit, financial cooperatives that returns earnings to members in the form of better rates, low fees, and more free services. Advantis is locally-owned by over 60,000 members and has six branches in the Portland metro area. For more information, visit
www.advantiscu.org.
