SUNCOAST CREDIT UNION FOUNDATION PROVIDES $25,000 TO COMMUNITY COOPERATIVE

SUNCOAST CREDIT UNION FOUNDATION PROVIDES $25,000 TO COMMUNITY COOPERATIVE

FORT MYERS, Fla. (August 30, 2024) — Community Cooperative announces a charitable gift of $25,000 from the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation. The funds will be used to expand Community Cooperative’s Mobile Food Pantry Program, Food Literacy Program, and Food Program, directly impacting families and individuals in need within our community. It will provide essential resources to enhance their ability to serve the growing number of families facing food insecurity in southwest Florida.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation for their generous support. This grant will significantly expand our reach and deepen our impact. It allows us to continue providing crucial food assistance and educational programs to those who need it most,” says Stefanie Ink Edwards, CEO of Community Cooperative. “Their commitment to our mission strengthens our resolve to fight hunger and promote food literacy in our community.”

Suncoast Credit Union, Florida’s largest credit union, founded the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation to promote the education, health and emotional well-being of children in the community. Each time a Suncoast member uses their debit or credit card, the credit union donates two cents to the Foundation to fund local initiatives. Since its inception in 1990, the Foundation has raised and donated over $45 million.

“At Suncoast Credit Union, we believe in the power of community support to drive meaningful change,” said Melva McKay-Bass, Chief Community Development Officer, Suncoast Credit Union. “We are proud to partner with Community Cooperative to help address food insecurity and provide essential resources to families and individuals in Southwest Florida. This partnership will help make a significant difference in the lives of those in need.”

About Community Cooperative

Since 1984, Community Cooperative has worked to effectively eliminate hunger and homelessness in southwest Florida while simultaneously inspiring and supporting sustained positive change in its clients by delivering innovative food, education, and social service programs. With a dedicated team of volunteers, board of directors and staff, Community Cooperative stays committed to its core responsibility to collect and distribute resources through a strong and viable network of community partners. Community Cooperative is an exemplary steward of the resources entrusted to it and serves clients with compassion and integrity. Through collaboration and ongoing education, Community Cooperative supports and strengthens those whose lives have been affected by hunger and homelessness, ensuring that they have access to the resources necessary to transform their lives with dignity.

About Suncoast Credit Union

Suncoast Credit Union is the largest credit union in the state of Florida, the 8th largest in the United States based on membership, and the 10th largest in the United States based on its $18.5 billion in assets. Chartered in 1934 as Hillsborough County Teachers Credit Union, Suncoast Credit Union currently operates 78 full-service branches and serves more than 1.2 million members across Florida. As a community credit union, anyone who lives, works, attends school, or worships in Suncoast Credit Union’s service area is eligible for membership. In 2021, Suncoast Credit Union’s field of membership was expanded to include public K-12 teachers, college educators, and educational support staff from all of Florida’s 67 counties. Suncoast is passionate about community support. Since its founding in 1990, the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation has raised and donated more than $45 million to organizations and initiatives that support the health, education, and emotional well-being of children in the communities that the credit union serves. For more information, visit suncoast.com or follow us on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.