Affinity Federal Credit Union Harvests Record Number of Pounds of Produce for Those in Need in New Jersey, Nearby States

Employees of Affinity and its non-profit arm Affinity Foundation harvested and packaged 958,400 servings of fresh vegetables for struggling families in the region

BASKING RIDGE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Over 200 employees of Affinity Federal Credit Union (“Affinity”) and its non-profit arm, The Affinity Foundation, volunteered across two America’s Grow-a-Row farm locations in New Jersey to harvest 240,000 pounds of fresh local produce on Monday, October 10th.

This is not the first Affinity-hosted event dedicated to giving back to local communities, but the inaugural “Impact Day” (originally coined “Affinity Give Back Day”) has evolved immensely from only a handful of employees volunteering their time to a company-wide day of service. Staff members from Affinity’s credit union and foundation partnered with America’s Grow-a-Row to demonstrate their commitment to the credit union’s philosophy of “people helping people.” The Pittstown, NJ-based non-profit serves low- to moderate-income individuals and families of all backgrounds and races in rural, suburban, and urban areas who are struggling with food insecurity and related health issues. Affinity recognizes that for many American families, fresh produce is a luxury that is often not affordable nor accessible.

At two different NJ farms, Pittstown and Milford, Affinity employees set a Grow-A-Row record for the most produce ever harvested in a single day, unearthing 225,000 pounds of winter squash and packaging 15,200 pounds of potatoes. That’s equivalent to 958,400 servings of produce donated. The food was sent to four regional organizations that provide meals for the less fortunate, including City Harvest in New York City, Philabundance in Philadelphia, The Community Bank of NJ, which serves 16 of the state’s counties, and a food cooperative that serves several Feeding America Food Banks between West Virginia and Maine.

“We are incredibly pleased with the success of this year’s Impact Day,” said Karla Wallack, Executive Director of the Affinity Foundation. “Affinity’s impact on the communities that we serve is of the utmost importance to us and this record through Grow-a-Row is one we are incredibly proud of.”

Affinity’s longstanding mission has always been to improve the financial wellbeing of its members and the communities it serves. Whether it is financial, mental, or physical wellbeing, the Affinity mission has always been to make the path easier. The credit union looks forward to continuing their charitable efforts through the year’s end and into 2023.

About Affinity Federal Credit Union
Affinity Federal Credit Union is a full-service financial institution, member-owned and community-focused, with a mission to nurture your financial wellbeing. With more than 20 branches across the tri-state area, Affinity is the largest credit union headquartered in the state of New Jersey, proudly ranking in the top 2% of all credit unions in terms of asset size¹. The Affinity difference is about people helping people on a deeper level and understanding what YOU need to make your unique dreams a reality. For more information, please visit www.affinityfcu.com.

¹ Source: NCUA.gov. Using the “Credit Union and Corporate Call Report Data” found here: https://www.ncua.gov/analysis/credit-union-corporate-call-report-data