North Carolina Healthcare Association Foundation Receives $2.5 Million from SECU Foundation for COVID-19 Pandemic Relief


RALEIGH, N.C., April 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The SECU Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce that a $2.5 million grant has been awarded to the North Carolina Healthcare Association (NCHA) Foundation to assist in efforts to provide increased statewide support during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The funding is already helping to deliver some much needed relief to healthcare and human services organizations providing key resources to the medical community.

Since its establishment in 1918 during the Spanish Flu epidemic, the North Carolina Healthcare Association has served as a resource for hospitals, health systems, and healthcare providers to improve the delivery and quality of affordable care.  Major areas of support deemed critical in response to COVID-19 and provided through this grant include:  collaboration with North Carolina Area Health Education Centers to provide online training and medical coaching for staff who deliver COVID-19 care outside an area of specialty; personal protective equipment; mental health resilience programs; childcare; and expanded telehealth services for acute healthcare employees.

“The North Carolina Healthcare Association Foundation is exceedingly grateful for SECU Foundation’s support for the COVID-19 response,” said Julia Wacker, Senior Vice President of the NCHA Foundation.  “Our state has been severely impacted by this crisis.  We are proud to work with the SECU Foundation to address some of the most urgent needs in rural health and healthcare workforce training and resiliency.”

“All facets of our state’s healthcare community are working tirelessly to treat and comfort patients and families during this crisis,” observed Jo Anne Sanford, SECU Foundation Board Chair.  “The North Carolina Healthcare Association has been providing exceptional services to hospitals, medical and care facilities, and healthcare personnel for years – they have a vast amount of knowledge and experience.  We are incredibly proud to partner with their Foundation to provide much needed support to hospitals and medical professionals who are on the front line, courageously fighting this pandemic.”

About SECU and the SECU Foundation
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 over 82 years.  The Credit Union also offers a diversified line of financial advisory services including retirement and education planning, tax preparation, insurance, trust and estate planning services, and investments through its partners and affiliated entities.  SECU serves 2.5 million members through 267 branch offices, 1,100 ATMs, 24/7 Member Services via phone, a website, www.ncsecu.org and a Mobile App.  Members can also follow and subscribe to SECU on Facebook and YouTube.  The SECU Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization funded by the contributions of SECU members, promotes local community development in North Carolina primarily through high impact projects in the areas of housing, education, healthcare and human services.  Since 2004, SECU Foundation has made a collective financial commitment of more than $175 million for initiatives to benefit North Carolinians statewide.  In addition to the website, highlights are also available on the SECU Foundation Instagram page.

Contact:  Jama Campbell, Executive Director Office:  919-839-5562 | secufoundation@ncsecu.org 

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3ab42a47-cecc-4968-8f48-d59991fffe59

Wacker and Sanford