Golden 1 Credit Union Awards Over $600,000 to Literacy and Foster Youth Nonprofits

SACRAMENTO, CA (July 23, 2020) — Golden 1 Credit Union (Golden 1) today announced 22 nonprofits in the Sacramento and San Joaquin regions are recipients of its Community Grant Program. This year, a combined total of $602,327 in grants will help advance local initiatives that promote literacy and assist foster youth as they transition to adulthood. Focus Forward and City Year Sacramento are two of this year’s recipients.

“Golden 1 has long been committed to giving back to the communities we serve and, especially this year, it is more important than ever to continue to fund organizations that help young people flourish,” said Erica Taylor, Vice President of Communications and Community Relations. “We are proud to play a part in helping these nonprofits and the youth they serve succeed.”

Focus Forward in Fresno creates pathways to success for youth in the juvenile and/or child welfare systems through programs and services including mentoring, parenting education, employment support, higher education services, and assistance to re-enter the community.

“This Golden 1 grant means a tremendous amount to Focus Forward, especially in light of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our ability to fundraise for general support dollars. This is our third year receiving a grant gift from Golden 1, which will allow Focus Forward to continue offering support and mentorship to assist foster teens,” said Joanna Litchenberg, Focus Forward Executive Director. “Golden 1 allows us to stay true to our mission and serve foster youth in whatever they might need to succeed.”

City Year Sacramento, an AmeriCorps program, empowers young adults from diverse backgrounds to serve full time for a year as student success coaches in schools located in low income neighborhoods. During the 2020-21 academic year, the grant from Golden 1 will be used to support the literacy component of City Year Sacramento’s‚ Whole School Whole Child (WSWC) program in Sacramento City Unified and St. HOPE Public partner schools. WSWC provides City Year service members with the strategies to effectively support teachers as partners, co-planners, and collaborators, and serve students as mentors, role models, and tutors.

“City Year Sacramento is thrilled and honored to once again be recognized as a valued provider of literacy programing by Golden 1 Credit Union,” said Jeff Owen, Vice President and Executive Director for City Year Sacramento. “Golden 1 has been such a champion of our work to build confidence and improve reading skills, helping us support over 4,000 students annually in the Sacramento region. This grant means so much to us, especially this year with the hardships brought on by the coronavirus.”

Owen added this funding will also help City Year Sacramento serve alongside faculty and staff to help students reconnect with their school community, re-engage with their learning, and recover from the trauma associated with racial injustice, family job loss, illness or death, and sudden changes to their education and school-based relationships.

In 2020, the Golden 1 Community Grant Program awarded the following 22 nonprofits throughout California a combined total of $602,327:

• 3 Strands Global Foundation Challenge

• 916 Ink

• Adventure Risk Challenge

• Aging UP

• Aspiranet

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento

• California Youth Connection

• Child Abuse Prevention Council of Sacramento

• City Year Sacramento

• Compassion Planet

• Every Neighborhood Partnership

• Focus Forward

• Foundation for California Community Colleges

• Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries

• Improve Your Tomorrow

• Juma Ventures

• Reading and Beyond

• Sacramento Public Library Foundation

• Shores of Hope

• Stanford Sierra Youth & Families

• Teach For America – California Capital Valley

• The Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center, Inc.

About Golden 1 Credit Union

With nearly $15 billion in assets, Golden 1 Credit Union is one of the largest credit unions in the United States and proudly serves all those who live or work in California. Golden 1 Credit Union delivers financial solutions with value, convenience, and exceptional service to our members. As a dynamic and trusted leader, Golden 1 is committed to enhancing the financial well-being of Californians and their diverse communities. Golden 1 is 1 million members strong and has 1,800 employees. Visit www.golden1.com for more information.