Hanscom FCU’s Charitable Foundation Holds 2020 Annual Meeting

Hanscom AFB, MA (October 29, 2020) – The Hanscom FCU Charitable Foundation provided an accounting of major gifts granted in 2020 at its eighth annual meeting. The meeting was held virtually on October 26. The Foundation, founded in 2012, provides resources, primarily financial, to worthy charitable causes.

“The Foundation’s focus is on providing donations and assistance where we can do great things for our community,” said Paul Marotta, chairman of the Foundation. “Supporting members of the Foundation share a mutual interest in social welfare and overall betterment of quality of life that truly captures the spirit of the credit union motto of ‘people helping people.’”

Marotta noted that the non-profit 501(c)(3) organization distributes all proceeds to charity and provided details of the Foundation’s extensive philanthropic support in 2020 that included:

• A $750,000 five-year non-binding commitment to support the Home Base Program. The commitment ensures clinical care and funding for research that supports veterans and their families experiencing post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries. In the second year of this commitment, the Foundation anticipates donating $150,000 in 2020, including a recent $25,000 sponsorship of Run to Home Base.
• Continued support of Boston Children’s Hospital through the sponsorship of charity runners Ray Phillips, Dan Ziniti, and Diane Welch in the Boston Marathon as part of the Credit Unions Kids @ Heart team. Thanks to the support of generous donors, over $30,000 was raised to fund several pediatric brain research projects at the hospital.
• A cash raffle that raised $20,000 to support the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless for their Bed for Every Child initiative, which this year will be supporting local children with not only beds to get a restful night’s sleep, but also desks so they can have a dedicated space to focus on their educations while they take their classes from home.
• A donation of over $2,300 for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, where volunteers walked over 2,000 miles during this year’s virtual week-long event.
• A $10,000 donation to Crossroads, an organization that offers leadership, college preparation, and career development resources for economically disadvantaged youth throughout eastern Massachusetts.
• A financial commitment of $10,000 to aid efforts designed to help those who are suffering from the economic impact of the disease outbreak. Five thousand dollars was given to the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund, which raised over $30 million to date to support Massachusetts residents affected by the coronavirus pandemic. An additional $5,000 was given to the Project CommUNITY: 5X5 Food Drive in support of The Greater Boston Food Bank.
• Financial support for the National Credit Union Foundation, Purple Heart Homes, and the Lowell High School JROTC program.

Marotta concluded the 2020 meeting by addressing the attending members directly and thanking them for their continued support over the years. “You each play an important role by lending talent and support that helps the foundation achieve its mission of creating a lasting impact in our community,” he said. “Thank you for your commitment to the Foundation’s mission.”