PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For a credit union founded by 15 teachers 80 years ago, helping Valley students and teachers start their year off right is an important part of the organization’s community outreach. This year, Desert Financial’s annual school supply drive helped many students in need, and even expanded its reach from prior years, driving more impact than ever before.
Desert Financial headquarters employees, and various branches from around the Valley, banded together to help students and teachers via a month-long drive timed to the start of the school year. In all:
- More than 700 students received backpacks and supplies
- More than 200 teachers received classroom supplies
- 55 schools were supported
“The 15 teachers who founded our credit union 80 years ago did so with just $78.75 between them,” said Jeff Meshey, President & CEO of Desert Financial. “They built a multi-billion-dollar organization that today helps pay its success forward to the community it serves. We feel that they would be inspired by the importance we place on our education system, and support we feel for the students and teachers that are in that system today.”
The drive was promoted in branch lobbies and on social media, allowing both employee and members to donate. Through those efforts, an additional $2,000 was donated for supplies beyond the physical items collected.
Additionally, EVOS, the credit union’s office supply vendor, donated a pallet of copy paper to Tillman Middle School, and also sold binders and dividers at wholesale cost to students in the AVID program.
For more information on the drive, please check out Desert Financial’s Facebook page.
About Desert Financial Credit Union
Celebrating 80 years in Arizona, Desert Financial is the state’s largest credit union with $4.6 billion in assets, more than 330,000 members and 45 locations across the Valley. As a not-for-profit cooperative, Desert Financial prides itself on sharing success with its members, its team and the wider community. In 2018, Desert Financial gave $7M back to the community and its members, including Teacher Appreciation and Random Acts of Kindness programs. Learn more at www.desertfinancial.com.