Alliant Civic Affairs Aids Community Organizations in 2013

09/26/2013

Alliant’s Civic Affairs Committee Aids Local Community Organizations in 2013

Alliant Credit Union’s Civic Affairs team, made up of volunteers from Alliant’s Chicago headquarters, has worked diligently in 2013 to raise funds and recruit volunteers for a variety of worthy charities in the communities where Alliant employees live and work.

Operation HOPE — Employee volunteers from Alliant’s Chicago headquarters, coordinated by the Civic Affairs committee, volunteer their time as teachers in Operation HOPE’s Banking on our Future program at middle schools in Des Plaines, Illinois. This spring, an Alliant-taught class was joined by a special guest, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky, whose 9th Congressional district includes most of Des Plaines. Schakowsky commended the program, saying that it gives participating students "an excellent opportunity that helps prepare them for financial success in life."

U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (Illinois' 9th Congressional District) meets with Alliant Credit Union Sr. VP Corporate Affairs Lee Schafer (left) and Alliant President & CEO David Mooney, in support of financial literacy. The Congresswoman was visiting Algonquin Middle School in Des Plaines, IL to observe a class on Checking & Savings Accounts. The class is part of a 4-course financial literacy curriculum taught to 8th grade students by Alliant employee volunteers. The program, called Banking on Our Future, was developed by Operation HOPE, Inc.

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society — The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) was the recipient of the funds raised through Alliant’s Eighth Annual Employee Volleyball Tournament, Volley 2013 for LLS. The event — co-sponsored by the Civic Affairs committee and the Alliant Employee Events team — raised funds via event T-shirt sales, raffle tickets and sponsorship donations made by participants’ families and friends. Funds raised by employees were then matched by the Alliant Credit Union Foundation, netting a grand total of $13,000 for LLS.

Alliant employees play volleyball at the Eighth Annual Employee Volleyball Tournament, Volley 2013 for LLS.

The tournament’s winning team, We Forecast Your Defeat, (left to right): Al Kubilius, Harry Zhu, Ronak Baxi, Mark Lau, Elona Delisi, Kristen Becker, Jeff Wheatley, Kevin Devlin and Jerry Pellegrini.

Goodwill — A clothing donation drive at Alliant’s Chicago-area offices in April resulted in dozens of bags of gently used clothes to be sold at Goodwill resale shops. The sales of donations to Goodwill help fund job training programs, employment placement services and other community-based programs.

Alliant Credit Union President & CEO David Mooney stands with Alliant Civic Affairs Committee members Terry Hagio (left) and Danielle Snowden, coordinators of the Spring Fling Clothing Drive, following the delivery of donated clothing to Goodwill. Also pictured (right) is Des Plaines, Illinois Goodwill Store Manager Michael Pierce, who expressed his appreciation for Alliant employees’ clothing contributions. Clothing bags in the photo are just a small portion of those donated by Alliant employees.

Bears Care (Chicago Bears charity) — Alliant’s annual Super Bowl Chili Day benefited Bears Care, an organization committed to improving the quality of life in Chicagoland, especially for disadvantaged children and their families. This Civic Affairs event’s fundraising was matched by a grant from the Alliant’s Foundation, netting nearly $6,500 for Bears Care. 

Bob Panzino Golf Tournament — The Alliant Civic Affairs team donated $50 toward the registration fee of each Alliant employee participating in the annual Bob Panzino Memorial Golf Outing benefiting the Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation. Additional funds on behalf of each Alliant golfer were donated by the Alliant Credit Union Foundation. 

Chicago Cares Serve-a-thon — Civic Affairs coordinated Alliant employee involvement in Chicago’s biggest day of community service. Several employees brought family members and friends to enjoy a fun, rewarding day. Alliant’s Foundation donated a sponsorship grant to support this outstanding event, which provides for paint up/fix up projects at schools and community service centers.

Alliant’s Civic Affairs team selects many of the charitable organizations that benefit from their work — and the fundraising and volunteer efforts of Alliant employees — based on recommendations from employees whose lives and families have been affected by the issues addressed by the organizations. 

Additional fundraising initiatives are planned during the remainder of this year.

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About Alliant Credit Union
Alliant Credit Union, founded in 1935, is an independently operated financial cooperative serving over 140 employee groups and organizations with more than 275,000 members and over $8 billion in assets, making it the largest credit union in Illinois, and the sixth largest in the nation, based on assets and deposits. As a member-owned financial institution, Alliant exists to foster members’ financial well-being and to serve their best interests. With Branches in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles San Francisco and Oakland, CA, Newark, NJ, Tempe, AZ and the Washington, DC area, Alliant is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois at 11545 W. Touhy Avenue. As an Illinois-chartered credit union, Alliant is under the supervision of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Alliant is an equal housing opportunity lender and federally insured by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund, which is administered by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), an independent agency of the U.S. Government. Learn more about Alliant online at www.alliantcreditunion.org. 

About Alliant Credit Union Foundation
Alliant Credit Union Foundation is a 501c3 not-for-profit charitable organization established in 2009 via a $4 million grant from Alliant Credit Union. The Foundation and credit union are both headquartered in Chicago near O’Hare International Airport at 11545 W. Touhy Avenue. The foundation’s purpose is to promote economic empowerment and self-sufficiency, especially for people in the communities in which Alliant Credit Union members and employees live and work. One way it does this is by supporting programs that enhance education and financial literacy. The foundation makes charitable contributions, supports financial literacy activities and makes investments to fund community development projects. The foundation, a legal entity separate from the credit union, is managed by a board of directors comprised of Alliant employees. For additional information, visit www.alliantcreditunionfoundation.org or call toll- free at 800.328.1935, ext.8635.