DUNEDIN, Fla. – Achieva Credit Union has donated a total of $60,000 since the start of the pandemic to support local education programs across its geographic footprint. The Dunedin-based credit union has maintained its 2019 support levels even as the pandemic required a halt to in-person fundraiser events.
“Our roots are in the education community – we were founded by a group of teachers in 1937,” said Chelsey Wilson, Achieva’s Marketing & Events Manager. “It’s important to us to continue our support for educators as they navigate the pandemic. These funds will make a positive impact for teachers and students in our local communities.”
Traditionally, much of the fundraising for education is done through local community events. With no such events being held, Achieva has kept up its support with direct donations made through the Achieva Foundation, a 501(c)(3) Corporation committed to supporting organizations that create opportunities for social and economic enrichment of the communities Achieva serves.
These were Achieva’s 2020 donations to support education, by region:
• $25,000 was donated to Pinellas Education Foundation to replace funds that have previously come from the Achieva Box Car Rally, which usually takes place in downtown Clearwater, and the Achieva Scrapbook Crop, which is typically held in Dunedin.
• $25,000 was donated to the Education Foundation of Sarasota County to replace funding typically raised through the Achieva Run for GOOD, which usually takes place in Sarasota.
• $10,000 was donated to the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools to replace funding that previously came from Achieva Credit Union’s Coconut Run in Cape Coral.
Achieva also maintained its involvement with partners such as Northeast High in St. Petersburg, where the credit union operates a fully functional branch in which students gain hands-on financial services experience.
Funding support also continued for two programs that teach financial literacy to students throughout Pinellas County:
• $22,500 was donated for the Achieva Conference Room at Stavros Institute in Largo, a partnership facility between the Pinellas Education Foundation and Pinellas County Schools to provide “real life” hands-on free enterprise experiences for students.
• $22,500 was donated for a venue in Finance Park in Largo which runs as a hands-on simulation of financial processes and lifestyle budgeting for students, to develop a realistic understanding of the economic issues they’ll deal with after graduation from high school.
Even though the timeframe for the end of the pandemic remains uncertain, Achieva’s support to the educational organizations in its communities is certain to continue while evolving to meet the needs of the education community.
About Achieva
Achieva Credit Union was founded in 1937 in Pinellas County. Today, it is rated a Superior 5-Star credit union by Bauer Financial and has more than $2 billion in assets and 22 branches serving more than 165,000 members. Anyone who lives or works in Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Monroe, Pasco, Pinellas, and Sarasota Counties, or whose family member has an Achieva Credit Union account can bank with Achieva. For more information, visit www.achievacu.com.