On June 8, National Best Friend Day, SEFCU volunteers assembled and delivered 225 care kits to support the programs of Unity House Domestic Violence Services.

IPH, the non-profit organization formerly known as the Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless, has been serving the needs of the homeless community in Albany and surrounding areas in the Capital Region for more than 35 years.  
 
Without straying from its original mission, and with the help of supporters like SEFCU, IPH is a key organization that collaborates with community partners to provide shelter, day habilitation, access to healthcare and food for individuals struggling with homelessness, rapid rehousing, and short-term housing solutions.

To celebrate National Giving Hearts Day on February 11, we shared the love virtually with an exclusive Giving for Good vote!

As temperatures plunge across the state – and across the country – the homeless population continues to utilize emergency drop-in shelters to escape the cold. Staying out of the winter elements can be a challenge, especially when the temperature drops to 32 degrees or below and a Code Blue alert has been issued.

When the Buffalo Bills started the season, little did they know that they would finish it as AFC East Champs and just one win away from the Super Bowl. The Bills captured the hearts of football fans in their hometown and across the country. Thanks to fundraising by SEFCU, Buffalo’s playoff run was able to help fill the stomachs of people across Western New York.

In February as we start to think about cupid and hearts, it’s a good time to think about our own heart health. In 2021 SEFCU will continue its support of the American Heart Association (AHA) with a $50,000 grant and partnership on a number of programs throughout the year with the goal of educating underserved populations in the Capital Region about stroke and heart attack signs, symptoms, and prevention, and supporting fundraising events.

Our year-end program where our Management Team gets the opportunity to select charities to receive a financial donation on their behalf produced a total of $174,500 in funds distributed to 79 different organizations across SEFCU’s footprint. The largest amount of funds ($21,500) went to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern NY.

Donate a New, Unwrapped Toy Today!

Even more than in previous years, some families will struggle to purchase gifts for their children this holiday season. To support the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program, SEFCU is accepting new, unwrapped toys through November 30. If you are able, drop off a new, unwrapped toy at one of our locations below. Thank you for your support!

IMPORTANT NOTE: Toys for Tots Collection in Branches Will End November 30

What does the word “needs” mean to you? Some people will associate needs with a desire to feel that summer grass beneath their toes, others will think of that vacation they need to go on using that hard-earned cash they saved. But for SEFCU, and the generosity of our members and employees participating in Giving for Good, evaluating needs in our community gives SEFCU an opportunity to provide essential items to organizations serving some of our most vulnerable neighbors.

This summer, SEFCU continued to support the Metropolitan Community Group with a grant for its summer youth program, a truly life changing experience for children and teens in Albany, many coming from undeserved communities receiving a safe place, an enriched experience, and healthy meals during the summer months.

"Youth today are underexposed to financial literacy information and skills needed to be financially successful adults. SEFCU's workshop was the first introduction to the world of banking for most of our girls. They became familiarized with the language necessary to better understand their banking, saving. and credit options.

SEFCU’s familiar tag line is “Changing Lives Every Day.” That phrase is more than a slogan – it is the description of our organization’s true purpose.
 
While our branches and Member Solutions Center (MSC) will remain open this year, SEFCU is making tomorrow - Friday, June 19 - a company holiday in celebration of Juneteenth, which is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. It is a day that forever changed millions of lives – and the world.
 

Financial support, continuing to help non-profits acquire necessary supplies, and deploying our staff to volunteer amidst the COVID-19 crisis are some of the ways SEFCU has continued to support the community during the month of May. Our team was ready in March when we jumped in to help the community with financial grants, emergency supplies, and launching Heroes Landing, a respite center for medical staff from Albany hospitals.

Changing Lives Every Day is more than a slogan and now more than ever, SEFCU continues to support the community with necessary supplies, financial support, and volunteers during the COVID-19 crisis. In March we sprung into action quickly, providing $80,000 in financial grants as part of our SEFCU Hunger Support Package, donating emergency supplies to non-profits serving families and youth, and launching Heroes Landing, a respite center for medical staff from Albany-area hospitals.

This is a difficult time for so many in our community and with massive layoffs, many people in the Capital Region are turning to food pantries more than ever to feed themselves and their families. In the month of March, the SEFCU Freight Farm responded to this growing need. Our Freight Farm, which has been in operation since early 2018 at the corporate office at 700 Patroon Creek Blvd in Albany, regularly donates about half of its produce to organizations that have weekly pickups such as the Food Pantries for the Capital District.

Albany Sheriff Craig Apple had a vision to end homelessness in the Capital Region and with guidance from HATAS (Homeless and Travelers Aid Society) and other community partners, the Sheriff’s Homeless Improvement Project (SHIP) was born. After learning about this initiative and touring the facility, SEFCU President & CEO Michael Castellana and Chief Community Officer Kathy Lanni saw this unique approach to serve and support the homeless in our community.  As a result, SEFCU enthusiastically signed on to support the program which officially opened on Monday, April 22.

SEFCU is on a mission to give back every single day of the year, and now more than ever with our communities challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are responding to the emergent needs of non-profits throughout SEFCU’s four regions (Capital Region, Southern Tier, Central NY and Western NY). Non-profits serving youth and families are experiencing higher volumes than usual due to more people visiting their shelters and support service organizations.

As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded in our region, SEFCU’s Community Support program launched an application for emergency funds to help non-profits that would be serving increased needs in the community. In adhering to SEFCU’s Giving Guidelines, funds were allocated to support the quickly multiplying numbers of individuals, youth, and families as they began to serve more and more people became financially strapped due to being out of work. 

As we are all aware, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many events in the Capital Region to be postponed or cancelled to adhere to social distancing measures and in conjunction with NYS on PAUSE. Our annual Monopoly^® Tournament to benefit the Center for Disability Services which occurs each May to help raise funds for their life-changing work has been postponed.

Giving back to our communities isn’t just something we talk about here at SEFCU; it’s a philosophy we live by. And many times, it’s the small things we all can do that really add up to make a huge impact – like Giving for Good!
 

As Cupid works his magic this month, SEFCU continues to work to raise money for, and awareness of, heart disease. You’ll notice our branches are all glowing red this month, staff wore red last week in honor of Go Red for Women, and heart discs are available for sale in memory or honor of someone who is battling cancer. Find out what else SEFCU is doing! 

On December 14^th, more than 30 SEFCU employees, along with their family and friends, volunteered their time with Wreaths Across America at Saratoga National Cemetery. Every year, through Wreaths Across America, millions of Americans come together to remember and honor our fallen soldiers by placing wreaths on all of the gravestones in every national cemetery across the country. The goal of this organization and the message for this day is to remember our fallen U.S. veterans, honor those who serve, and teach our children the value of freedom.