Ascentra Credit Union will award $60,000 to Junior Achievement over the next five years through a $50,000 Ascentra Credit Union Foundation grant and by redirecting a $10,000 VISA Community Impact Grant to the educational organization.
These two grants will be used “to support the resources needed to recruit, train and place volunteers in classrooms and expand curriculum delivery throughout Clinton, Muscatine, Rock Island and Scott counties,” Katie Sothmann, senior director of marketing and special events for Junior Achievement of the Heartland, said in a news release Tuesday, July 30.
The $50,000 grant from the foundation is a continuation of several year-to-year grants that began in 2015. Since then, Ascentra has donated $150,000 to Junior Achievement through these multi-year grants to help support the financial education they provide to area school districts and their students.
“Ascentra Credit Union is transforming lives every day with their support of Junior Achievement of the Heartland,” said Dougal Nelson, president and CEO of the Moline-based JA organization. “Along with Ascentra’s remarkable volunteers and financial backing, together we are empowering our youth and young adults to find financial freedom.”
The newly awarded grant will extend Ascentra’s giving through 2029 by providing $10,000 per year over the next five years.
In addition, Ascentra is redirecting a $10,000 VISA Community Impact Grant, provided to their financial partners, to help support the communities in which the credit union serves. VISA, Ascentra’s debit and credit card partner, allows the credit union to choose local organizations that make a difference in their community. Since 2022, the VISA Community Impact Grant program has distributed $120,000 through Ascentra to local charitable organizations.
“This is a great example of how business partners can work together to accomplish great things,” said Linda Andry, president and CEO of Ascentra Credit Union. “This program aligns perfectly with Ascentra’s Listening, Caring, Doing What’s Right philosophy and we are very thankful to have VISA as a valued partner for the credit union and our members.”
The Ascentra Credit Union Foundation is the charitable arm of Ascentra Credit Union. Founded in 2015, its mission is to improve the quality of life for the membership of the credit union and further the philanthropic outreach. In 2023, the foundation pushed more than $102,000 into the community. It has contributed nearly $942,000 since its inception.
