American Eagle Financial CU Donates 50 Computers for Early Childhood Learning Center

EAST HARTFORD, CT (September 24, 2020) — American Eagle Financial Credit Union, Connecticut’s largest community credit union, recently donated 50 personal computers along with monitors, keyboards, mice, and cables to the East Hartford Public School system.  The computers will be refurbished with new hard drives and software to establish a computer learning lab at the Early Childhood Learning Center at Hockanum School in East Hartford.

“American Eagle is excited to help create a computer learning lab that will be critical for 21st -century learning,” said Dean Marchessault, President and Chief Executive Officer of American Eagle Financial Credit Union. “We appreciate the opportunity to help train the next generation workforce by building this educational partnership in the city we call home to our corporate headquarters.”

“The new computer lab will consist of 30-35 workstations for pre-school students to learn computer skills and for their parents to complete registration materials and more. The remaining computers will be deployed around the school as mini-labs,” said Tim Homa, Information Technology Manager with East Hartford Public Schools.

Homa added that he plans to start refurbishing the computers donated by American Eagle this year in hopes of getting them installed and in use by Pre-k students in early 2021.

“This donation and kind gesture by American Eagle is going to make a significant impact on our students’ and parents’ ability to access and utilize technology in our building,” said Renee Byers, Principal/Head Start Director, Early Childhood Learning Center at Hockanum School.  “Our families will be able to develop new computer skills and have entry to educational programs through this technology.  In addition, families can practice new skills with the support of our staff while at the Early Childhood Learning Center, which will support their use of technology to access education at home.”

American Eagle’s commitment to education for the benefit of K-12 and college students in Connecticut is extensive.  Earlier this year American Eagle, through its donor advised fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public giving, donated eight $1,000 grants to each of the school districts in Bloomfield, Cromwell, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, Middletown, North Haven, and Vernon.

American Eagle also contributed $2,500 to East Hartford’s Goodwin Foundation at Goodwin University for their COVID-19 Student Response Fund. The money assisted individuals in the Goodwin learning community facing acute, unexpected financial challenges brought on by the disruptions of COVID-19. In addition, American Eagle is a long-time funder and supporter of the Financial Reality Fairs hosted by the Credit Unions Building Financial Independence Foundation at the Connecticut Credit Union League.

About American Eagle Financial Credit Union

Established in 1935, American Eagle Financial Credit Union (AEFCU) is a full-service credit union offering checking and savings accounts, credit cards, auto loans, mortgages, business accounts and more. American Eagle offers banking online, through its mobile app, or at one of its 15 branches located in Connecticut. AEFCU has more than 160,000 members, over $2.1 billion in assets, and offers banking services to anyone who lives, works, attends school, or worships in Hartford, Middlesex, Tolland, and New Haven County in Connecticut, and Hampden County in Massachusetts. For more information about American Eagle Financial Credit Union, visit www.americaneagle.org.