Orlando, Fla. (June 8, 2023) — Suncoast Credit Union, Florida’s largest credit union, is expanding its partnership with Prospera to serve Hispanic entrepreneurs in Central and West Florida.
Suncoast team members presented a $40,000 check to Prospera on June 6 at its new branch in Osceola County, located in The Loop area of Kissimmee.
Through this renewed, expanded partnership, Suncoast will help sustain Prospera’s services in two regions and collaborate to achieve the overarching goal of strengthening local communities to be places of opportunity for economic growth and prosperity for all.
“Suncoast has worked with Prospera for several years in the Tampa area, with meaningful success because it has a direct correlation to our values of supporting the communities we live in, so they can grow and thrive,” said Kevin Johnson, Suncoast Credit Union, President & CEO. “Central Florida has a vast and vibrant Hispanic community, and we are honored to get the chance to serve them.”
Every $1 invested in Prospera generated $184 in economic impact, according to an Economic Analysis (Angelou Economics). Since its inception 31 years ago, Prospera has provided consulting to more than 22,000 entrepreneurs, and generated a total economic output of more than $4.9 billion.
“Prospera is very grateful to Suncoast Credit Union for its generous and ongoing support of its mission in the Greater Tampa Bay Area and now also in Central Florida,” said Augusto Sanabria, Prospera, President & CEO. “Furthermore, representatives of Suncoast Credit Union serve as volunteers in our organization and directly impact our service delivery and community engagement efforts. We are excited about this partnership renewal and look forward to making an even bigger difference in our communities together.”
Suncoast has deep ties to the Hispanic community. In January 2023, the credit union received the Juntos Avanzamos designation for its commitment to serving the Hispanic community and mission to help low- and moderate-income people and communities.
More than 80 percent of Suncoast Credit Union’s 76 branches have bilingual staff members, allowing members to speak in the language they are most comfortable in, and receive the customized service they deserve. Additionally, a third of Suncoast’s 2,400+ team members are Hispanic or Latino.
About Suncoast Credit Union
Suncoast Credit Union is the largest credit union in the state of Florida, the 10th largest in the United States based on membership, and the 10th largest in the United States based on its $17 billion in assets. Chartered in 1934 as Hillsborough County Teachers Credit Union, Suncoast Credit Union currently operates 76 full-service branches and serves more than one million members across Florida. As a community credit union, anyone who lives, works, attends school, or worships in Suncoast Credit Union’s service area is eligible for membership. In 2021, Suncoast Credit Union’s field of membership was expanded to include public K-12 teachers, college educators, and educational support staff from all of Florida’s 67 counties. Suncoast is passionate about community support. Since its founding in 1990, the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation has raised and donated more than $40 million to organizations and initiatives that support the health, education, and emotional well-being of children in the communities that the credit union serves. For more information, visit www.suncoastcreditunion.com or follow us on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
About Prospera
Prospera is an economic development, nonprofit organization that has specialized since 1991 in providing bilingual assistance to Hispanic entrepreneurs who want to start, sustain, and grow their business. In the last five years alone, Prospera facilitated over $70 million in loans for small business clients, trained 17,300 entrepreneurs, and helped consulting clients create or retain more than 16,000 jobs. Prospera currently serves Florida, North Carolina, and Georgia. For more information, visit www.prosperausa.org.