ARTICLE
CHARTER OAK DONATES OVER $100,000 IN 2020 TO REGION’S FOOD PANTRIES Credit Union’s Emergency Grants Strengthened Food Inventories During COVID-19 Health Crisis FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Anthony Cronin AVP-Director of Marketing 860.446.3254 or acronin@cofcu.com Waterford, CT – February 8, 2021 – Charter Oak Federal Credit Union donated more than $100,000 in emergency food assistance to eastern Connecticut’s food pantries and food centers during 2020 to help boost food supplies to those in need during the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis. Charter Oak initially donated $75,000 in emergency grants in April for much-needed food supplies at food centers and food pantries serving New London and Windham counties. The credit union donated an additional $32,000 in year-end assistance to these organizations in December for a total of $107,000 in emergency food assistance. “The COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly hard on our region’s food pantries because the demand was so strong throughout the year, especially during the holidays,” said Brian A. Orenstein, Charter Oak’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “So in addition to our donations this past spring, we made sure to allocate an additional $32,000 at year’s end to help restock the shelves from the holidays so there are supplies available for the new year,” he said. The 16 eastern Connecticut organizations that received emergency food assistance from Charter Oak during 2020 included: Always Home in Mystic; Care & Share of East Lyme; Covenant Soup Kitchen in Willimantic; Friends of Assisi Food Pantry in Danielson; Interfaith Human Services of Putnam-Daily Bread; Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center in New London; Groton Social Services Food Lockers; Montville Food Bank (Montville Social Services); New London Area Food Pantry; New London Community Meal Center; New London Homeless Hospitality Center; Norwich Community Meal Program DBA Lee Memorial UMC; Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center; Rosalyn Allen Food Pantry in Norwich; Saint Mary's Church Food Pantry in Jewett City; and Saint Vincent De Paul Place in Norwich. The emergency food donations during 2020 were funded through Charter Oak’s Community Giving Program, which annually awards sponsorships and grants to non-profits and charitable groups across eastern Connecticut. Charter Oak’s Community Giving Program also includes its Matching Gifts Program, which awarded a combined $400,000 in Charter Oak and member donations to charities and non-profits in 2020, as well as Charter Oak’s $90,000 annual scholarship program for high school and college students. During 2020, Charter Oak’s community giving efforts totaled nearly $550,000 in New London and Windham counties and since Charter Oak expanded its community outreach efforts in 2009 it has committed more than $3.5 million in assistance to individuals, non-profits, and charitable organizations. Charter Oak is eastern Connecticut’s largest credit union with assets of $1.36 billion as of September 30th, 2020. For more information about Charter Oak’s broad range of products and services, please visit any of our convenient branches, call our Contact Center at 860.446.8085 or visit CharterOak.org. Federally insured by NCUA. Equal Housing Lender.