Through its annual Ride 50 auto loan promotion, Ascentra Credit Union and its members raised $16,900 for the local Salvation Army in 2022, including $10,600 for the Salvation Army of the Quad Cities and $2,450 for the Salvation Army of Moline.
The credit union’s promotion begins Oct. 1 and ends Dec. 31 each year. With every new qualifying auto loan or refinance during those months, Ascentra gives $50 to the borrower and donates $50 to one of four Salvation Army regions depending on where the borrower lives. Combined, Ascentra’s nine branches processed 338 auto loans over the period in 2022 – raising the $16,900 total.
The five branches in the Quad Cities raised $10,600, the Moline branch raised $2,450, the Muscatine branch raised $1,900 and the two branches in Clinton raised $1,950.
“Given the recent changes to our economy, I am excited to see the community come together to support a worthy organization in such a big way,” said Linda Andry, president and CEO, Ascentra Credit Union. “The Salvation Army is a long established organization in our communities and can quickly turn these donations around to immediately help residents in need.”
The partnership began in 2019 when the Salvation Army was selected as the beneficiary of Ascentra’s Ride 50 holiday auto promotion that year. Since then, they have partnered for this promotion two more times in 2021 and 2022.
“Our partnership with Ascentra has once again played an important part in helping us toward our regional Red Kettle Campaign goal,” said Maj. Robert Doliber, The Salvation Army’s Quad Cities coordinator. “We also get so much out of the additional efforts Ascentra provides to promote volunteering and awareness of the services we provide in the community.”
“It was great having Ascentra on board with helping us raise funds for the Red Kettle Campaign during the holiday season,” said Lt. Kristi Dalberg, Corps Officer, The Salvation Army of Moline. “These funds will help us with programming and operations throughout the year and allow us to continue serving the Moline community in 2023.”
In 2021, Ascentra’s campaign included introducing its members and the community to all the services that the Salvation Army provides in the Quad City, Moline, Muscatine and Clinton areas. This also included promoting its Pathway of Hope program that focuses on helping families break the generational cycle of poverty, and encouraged members, staff and others to volunteer by ringing the bell throughout the holidays.
In 2022, Ascentra took its efforts one step farther by coordinating and producing five awareness videos for The Salvation Army to use in its promotional efforts featuring Davenport’s Housing Services and the Adult Rehabilitation Center, Moline’s food pantry and coat drive, Muscatine’s after school program and Clinton’s career services.
Lastly, Ascentra encourages its staff to get involved by inviting them to be bell ringers and coordinating schedules internally. “Over the past couple years, many of our employees have been bell ringers for The Salvation Army,” said Ms. Andry. “They’ve come out to do this as individuals, departments, and even with their families. I am thankful that our Ascentra Team can be a part of something so meaningful during the holidays.”
Since 2019, Ascentra’s Ride 50 holiday auto loan promotion and its members have generated more than $52,000 to support the Salvation Army and its initiatives. In recognition of this partnership, the Salvation Army presented Ascentra Credit Union with a Community Partner Award during a lunch reception Thursday, Feb. 2, at Ascentra’s home office in downtown Bettendorf.
