Wright-Patt Credit Union Sunshine Community Fund awards $160,000 to Dayton Children’s Hospital and Rebuilding Together Dayton
BEAVERCREEK, OH (August 17, 2020) — Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Wright-Patt Credit Union’s (WPCU) Sunshine Community Fund was able to successfully raise over $260,000 from October 2019 to June 2020 to support local nonprofit organizations. An $80,000 check was presented to each of their most recent Sunshine Community Champions – Dayton Children’s Hospital and Rebuilding Together Dayton. The remaining $100,000 will go back into the Fund to help support additional community efforts throughout the year. Since 2013, the Sunshine Community Fund has contributed over $2 million to local nonprofit organizations. WPCU held a virtual check presentation to celebrate this milestone, while maintaining safe social distancing.
“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, WPCU has been working hard to help our members and the communities we serve build strength,” said Tracy A. Szarzi-Fors, Wright-Patt Credit Union’s Vice President of Marketing and Business Development. “We’re proud to continue supporting local nonprofits that make such a big impact in people’s lives like Dayton Children’s Hospital and Rebuilding Together Dayton.”
The WPCU Sunshine Community Fund is an employee-driven effort through which WPCU partner-employees participate in numerous events and fundraisers to raise money for local nonprofit organizations. Even though some fundraising activities were canceled or modified due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WPCU business partners and partner-employees stayed committed to supporting the Sunshine Community Fund
Dayton Children’s Hospital will be using the funds to support their Center for Community Advocacy and Outreach, focusing on primary and preventative care, as well as community engagement programs aimed at improving the health of children beyond the walls of the hospital.
“The timing for this for supporting our Community Health Initiative could not have been better, with so many families struggling now with unemployment and food insecurities”, said Jena Pado, Executive Director of Dayton Children’s Hospital. “You know, only twenty percent of a child’s overall health is determined by their pediatrician or care givers. The other eighty percent is really impacted by their environment. Please know that this donation is really going to help us with our family resource connection; it’s going to help us screen families for those social determinants of health, for food insecurities, and for other areas where we can provide additional help.”
This year’s funds will also enable Rebuilding Together Dayton to assist up to 100 additional households in need, providing low-income senior homeowners necessary home repairs and modifications to allow them to age in place in their homes.
“While some of us have been able to shelter in place safely in our homes, a lot of the seniors that we’re serving are sheltered in unhealthy homes. This funding is critical to assist these home owners, to help them build a safe and healthy place”, said Amy Radachi, President/CEO of Rebuilding Together Dayton. “WPCU really puts their money where their mouth is by helping to provide these funds for us, by working for an entire year to raise these funds, and by getting out there and getting work done at the community level.”
Next year, the Sunshine Community Fund aims to raise another $260,000 to support local nonprofit organizations. For more information and for media inquiries, please contact Tracy Szarzi-Fors at tszarzi-fors@wpcu.coop.
About Wright-Patt Credit Union
Established in 1932, Wright‐Patt Credit Union is a member‐owned, not‐for‐profit financial cooperative proudly serving Central and Southwest Ohio with almost 500,000 members and $8.0 billion in assets. As a cooperative, Wright‐Patt Credit Union joins members together, pooling financial resources to meet the needs of all. The pooled resources provide the capital to run a strong and efficient operation. Wright‐Patt Credit Union is headquartered in Beavercreek, Ohio, and has convenient Member Centers throughout Central and Southwest Ohio. Wright‐Patt Credit Union's mission is to help people through life by allowing members to achieve a greater degree of economic independence. Visit Wright‐Patt Credit Union's website at www.wpcu.coop for more information.
About the Sunshine Community Fund
The Sunshine Community Fund’s name was derived from Wright-Patt Credit Union’s “people helping people” philosophy that has been around since the beginning in the 1930s. Back then, times were hard for everyone and those who didn’t work didn’t get paid. Government workers on today’s Wright-Patterson Air Force Base joined together to contribute 25 cents a pay period to help a fellow coworker who was ill and in need of financial support, until he could return to work. The Sunshine Community Fund has raised over $2 million since its inception in 2015 to support local nonprofits including: Ronald McDonald House of Dayton, Dayton Children’s Hospital, March of Dimes, Fisher/Nightingale Houses, Gala of Hope, Crayons to Classrooms, United Rehabilitation Services, Habitat for Humanity, Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley. Artemis Domestic Violence Center, Homefull, St. Vincent de Paul, and Rebuilding Together Dayton.
About the Sunshine Community Champions
Dayton Children’s Hospital Center for Community Health and Advocacy – will realign and elevate clinical programs providing a greater focus on primary and preventative care and community engagement programs aimed at improving the health of children beyond the walls of the hospital. To find out more about Dayton Children’s Hospital, please visit www.childrensdayton.org
About Rebuilding Together Dayton
Rebuilding Together Dayton – transforming the lives of low-income homeowners by improving the safety and health of their homes and revitalizing their communities. To find out more about Rebuilding Together Dayton, please visit www.rtdayton.org
