Beavercreek, OH – Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Wright-Patt Credit Union's (WPCU) Sunshine Community Fund was able to successfully raise over $260,000 from October 2019 to June 2020 to support local nonprofit organizations. An $80,000 check was presented to each of their most recent Sunshine Community Champions – Dayton Children's Hospital and Rebuilding Together Dayton. The remaining $100,000 will go back into the Fund to help support additional community efforts throughout the year. Since 2013, the Sunshine Community Fund has contributed over $2 million to local nonprofit organizations. WPCU held a virtual check presentation to celebrate this milestone, while maintaining safe social distancing.
“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, WPCU has been working hard to help our members and the communities we serve build strength," said Tracy A. Szarzi-Fors, Wright-Patt Credit Union's Vice President of Marketing and Business Development. “We're proud to continue supporting local nonprofits that make such a big impact in people's lives like Dayton Children's Hospital and Rebuilding Together Dayton."
The WPCU Sunshine Community Fund is an employee-driven effort through which WPCU partner-employees participate in numerous events and fundraisers to raise money for local nonprofit organizations. Even though some fundraising activities were canceled or modified due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WPCU business partners and partner-employees stayed committed to supporting the Sunshine Community Fund
Dayton Children's Hospital will be using the funds to support their Center for Community Advocacy and Outreach, focusing on primary and preventative care, as well as community engagement programs aimed at improving the health of children beyond the walls of the hospital.
“The timing for this for supporting our Community Health Initiative could not have been better, with so many families struggling now with unemployment and food insecurities", said Jena Pado, Executive Director of Dayton Children's Hospital. “You know, only twenty percent of a child's overall health is determined by their pediatrician or care givers. The other eighty percent is really impacted by their environment. Please know that this donation is really going to help us with our family resource connection; it's going to help us screen families for those social determinants of health, for food insecurities, and for other areas where we can provide additional help."
This year's funds will also enable Rebuilding Together Dayton to assist up to 100 additional households in need, providing low-income senior homeowners necessary home repairs and modifications to allow them to age in place in their homes.
“While some of us have been able to shelter in place safely in our homes, a lot of the seniors that we're serving are sheltered in unhealthy homes. This funding is critical to assist these home owners, to help them build a safe and healthy place", said Amy Radachi, President/CEO of Rebuilding Together Dayton. “WPCU really puts their money where their mouth is by helping to provide these funds for us, by working for an entire year to raise these funds, and by getting out there and getting work done at the community level."
Next year, the Sunshine Community Fund aims to raise another $260,000 to support local nonprofit organizations. For more information and for media inquiries, please contact Tracy Szarzi-Fors at tszarzi-fors@wpcu.coop.
Download the Press Release here.