Quad Citians in need will benefit from a collective $100,000 in gifts through a partnership between Ascentra and Visa that allows the credit union to redirect incentive funds as part of Visa’s Community Investment Program.
Ascentra decided to give the funds – totaling $100,000 – to local foundations that already have the infrastructure in place to immediately impact those in need, Ascentra said in a news release. As a result, $25,000 was directed to four organizations already doing work in our service areas of Clinton, Muscatine and the Quad Cities.
The foundations and what they do are:
- Quad Cities Community Foundation, Community Impact Fund – For more than 55 years, it has partnered with individuals, families, businesses and nonprofits to create and grow charitable gifts that benefit the region. “We are so grateful for this gift from Ascentra Credit Union to our Quad Cities Community Impact Fund,” said Sue Hafkemeyer, president and CEO, Quad Cities Community Foundation. “This is just the latest expression of generosity in our two organizations’ long standing partnership. As part of the endowed Community Impact Fund, Ascentra’s gift will make a truly significant contribution to the resources the Community Foundation can grant each year to address our region’s most pressing needs and promising opportunities. We like to say that we can achieve more through collaboration than we can alone, and this gift serves as a wonderful example of that belief.”.
- Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine, Muscatine Charities – Established in 1999, the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine strives to create a vibrant Muscatine County region that provides equitable opportunity and a high quality of life for all by engaging people, leveraging resources and inspiring solutions to address the community’s biggest challenges.
- River Bluff Community Foundation, Non-Endowed Impact Fund – Since 2003 the River Bluff Community Foundation has inspired people to give back to their community and turn their generosity in lasting change across the region, increasing access to resources and opportunities that help all people succeed. “The (River Bluff) Community Foundation Board is thrilled with this generous gift from Ascentra,” said Tara VanDerLeest, River Bluff Community Foundation Board chair. “The Community Foundation will be able to notably increase grantmaking to local nonprofits who work tirelessly to alleviate the needs of the people of Clinton and Camanche, Iowa.”
- Iowa Credit Union Foundation (ICUF) – Is the philanthropic arm of the Iowa credit union movement and Iowa Credit Union League. The foundation is guided by the credit union philosophy of people helping people and works to champion financial well-being for all across the state of Iowa. “Ascentra’s continuous support for ICUF’s mission-aligned initiatives embodies our shared philosophy of people helping people,” said Ena Babic Barnes, ICUF executive director. “The Iowa Credit Union Foundation is incredibly grateful for this generous gift that will allow us to reinforce our support to credit union members in need with ICUF’s ongoing grants, programs and initiatives. As our foundation considers future investments in growing its impact, this gift will help us in advancing the well-being of Iowans.”
