RALEIGH, N.C., May 8, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The North Carolina Foundation for Public School Children (NCFPSC) recently announced State Employees' Credit Union (SECU) as the recipient of the 2014 Champion for Children Award. The Award recognizes individuals and organizations for their outstanding work in shaping positive and productive conversations and actions that have directly impacted the public school children of North Carolina. SECU and the SECU Foundation were honored with the Award. Numerous SECU representatives were in attendance, including Jim Johnson, SECU Board of Directors Chair, accepting the award on behalf of SECU's member-owners, who also fund the SECU Foundation.
"State Employees' Credit Union has been a great friend to North Carolina families for a long time," said John I. Wilson, NCFPSC's Champions for Children Campaign Chairman. "The recognition as a Champion for Children celebrates the caring spirit of the Credit Union, its members and their philanthropic programs that have served the educational needs of our State's children."
SECU is a financial resource for young children, reaching thousands of students each year through various events including SECU's youth financial presentations and specialized programs, in-school reality fairs, career fairs and job shadowing and mentoring programs through strong partnerships with State educators and organizations.
Promoting large scale initiatives that produce high-impact benefits, the SECU Foundation has funded educational initiatives totaling more than $57 million since 2005. Some Foundation projects having a profound effect in the lives of North Carolina students, their families and communities include "People Helping People" High School and Community College Scholarship programs, the SECU Public Service Intern Program and SECU Emerging Issues Prize for Innovation for college students, the SECU Daily Planet in the Nature Research Center at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, and the SECU Education Center at the N.C. Museum of History.
David Wehbie, Advisory Board member at SECU's Garner-Benson Road branch attended the Gala and remarked, "The Champions for Children Gala was a wonderful recognition of community members joining hands to support public education and the importance of a high quality education for all. The honor of State Employees' Credit Union being named a Champion for Children is a testament of our 'People Helping People' philosophy."
About SECU
A not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members, SECU has been providing employees of the State of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for close to 77 years. With nearly 1.9 million members, SECU provides services through 253 branch offices, 1,100 ATMs, 24/7 Contact Centers and a website, www.ncsecu.org.