On Tuesday, August 11, 2009 at their annual Volunteer Appreciation Night, the Tampa Chapter of Credit Unions presented checks to seven charities that benefit children in the Greater Tampa Bay area. The event serves as a thank you to Credit Union volunteer Board Members and Credit Union employees who volunteer their time throughout the year holding various fundraising and community involvement events. The dinner gives these volunteers an opportunity to see the culmination of their efforts throughout the year.
Representatives from each of the charities were on hand to receive these donations presented to them by the CEO’s and Board Members of local credit unions. The checks presented by the Chapter were part of the over $30,000 raised during the Chapter’s 5th Annual Cruise for Kids Motorcycle Poker Run, the Tampa Chapter’s signature fundraising event.
An additional $10,000 in matching funds was presented to All Children’s Hospital by CO-OP Financial Services as a part of their Miracle Match program that benefits the Credit Union for Kids program, which supports local Children’s Miracle Network hospitals. This is the second year in a row that The Tampa Chapter has been awarded $10,000 as a part of this program.
All of the funds presented will go towards a variety of initiatives including a new children’s hospital, programs to help abused children and at-risk children, and clothes and school supplies for school-aged children. After receiving one of the donations, Tim Marks from Metropolitan Ministries told the audience, “We provide school supplies for over 3,000 homeless children and we are 800 backpacks short. Tomorrow we are going shopping.”
Over five years, the annual Credit Union Cruise for Kids has raised over $200,000 for donations to organizations which nurture children, such as All Children’s Hospital, The Children’s Home, Clothes to Kids, the Boys and Girls Club, The Ronald McDonald House, and the Pediatric Cancer Center.
