TopLine Federal Credit Union Book Drive Collects More Than 3,000 Books for Nigerian Youth

MAPLE GROVE, MINN. — August 3, 2017 — Local member-owned cooperative TopLine Federal Credit Union is sending thousands of books to further the educational opportunities of Nigerian students through a local partnership with the Africa Education and Health Initiative (AFEDHI). The month-long book drive, held this summer from mid-June to mid-July, collected more than 3,200 educational books and materials for distribution.

All five area TopLine branches pitched in to make the book drive a success. The credit union makes it a mission to “enrich lives by leading and supporting initiatives within the community.” When the nonprofit Africa Education and Health Initiative opened its business account at TopLine, both parties could tell that shared values united them outside their business relationship. AFEDHI founder Idowu Kotila belongs to the member-owned financial services cooperative, and he shared his vision to aid African students in accessing affordable books and other school supplies. “As a member of the TopLine community, Idowu Kotila is familiar with our mandate to make a positive impact on our local community — and he gave us an incredible chance to extend that internationally,” says Vicki Roscoe Erickson, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at TopLine Federal Credit Union. “Through our internship programs, youth financial literacy events and scholarships, we’ve built a local reputation for supporting education that our member-owners support wholeheartedly. The more than 3,000 books we collected from our employees, members and the community at-large will now assist Nigerian youth with continuing their education, an important step towards building a financially prosperous adulthood.” “The AFEDHI was founded to eliminate some of the barriers that keep African youth from access to the same stable, promising adulthood we enjoy here in the communities TopLine calls home,” said AFEDHI founder Idowu Kotila. “We had no idea what an enthusiastic response we’d receive when we sent the call out for books suitable for grade school to high school-aged students. So many people in the TopLine community wanted to help, and in a short time, the thousands of books they passed on to us will be on their way to a new life of service and appreciation in Nigeria.”

Africa Education and Health Initiative (AFEDHI) is a non-profit organization that provides elementary, secondary and college students’ educational materials such as books, computers and other reading aids to support their educational needs and goals.

TopLine Federal Credit Union, a Twin Cities-based credit union, is Minnesota’s 13th largest, with assets of more than $400 million. Established in 1935, the not-for-profit cooperative offers a complete line of financial services, as well as auto and home insurance, from its five branch locations — in Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Maple Grove, Plymouth and in St. Paul’s Como Park — as well as by phone, mobile app and online at www.TopLinecu.com. Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott or Washington Counties and their immediate family members.