Technology Credit Union to Focus on STEM Education, Financial Literacy and Affordable Housing in 2014
The credit union will support organizations and programs in the Bay Area communities it serves.
San Jose, CA (February 12, 2014) —Technology Credit Union (Tech CU) announced today its core focus areas for community outreach in 2014: STEM education (science, technology, engineering and math), financial literacy and affordable housing. The credit union will support local organizations and nonprofits that provide resources and programs in these areas through community grants and employees who choose to donate their time and money.
“We’re looking at local programs that can show measurable outcomes,” said Tech CU VP of Community Relations, Janikke Klem. “Does the organization have a creative approach to addressing education and housing challenges in the Bay Area? What kind of impact will a partnership with Tech CU have on individuals and the community at large? How effectual is the organization in using the resources we can offer?”
STEM Education
To further its goal of creating positive learning environments in STEM education, Tech CU is partnering with groups like Silicon Valley ReadsOpens a new window, an annual community-reading program presented by the Santa Clara County Library District, San Jose Public Library Foundation and Santa Clara Office of Education. Each year, Silicon Valley Reads collaborates with various organizations to promote reading and literacy for people of all ages while engaging the community in dialogue. This year’s reading and discussion theme is technology. Tech CU is co-sponsoring the “Silicon Valley Reads Day” at the Computer History Museum on February 15. Participants gain free admission to the museum and all events. For more information, go to the Silicon Valley Reads web site.
Financial Literacy and GLOW
Tech CU is also continuing its partnership with GLOWOpens a new window, a nonprofit that helps teach low-income students and their families the financial management skills necessary to pay for and complete college. Tech CU employees, trained as GLOW mentors, visit schools and other affiliate sites to educate students on the fundamentals of personal finance and budgeting, with the aim being to prepare them for the responsibility of financing their college education.
Tech CU also partners with such organizations as Breakthrough Silicon Valley and the Full Circle Fund.
Affordable Housing
To help address issues of affordable housing in the Bay Area, Tech CU supports several organizations including Project We Hope, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group and Housing Trust Silicon Valley.
Tech CU partnered with Housing Trust Silicon ValleyOpens a new window last year by joining a group of seven banks that helped the organization create the first-ever affordable housing loan pool in the Bay Area. The $9 million fund provides loans ranging from $500,000 to $2 million in initial startup financing to developers working on affordable, multi-family housing projects throughout the region. Tech CU will continue supporting this program in 2014.
In addition to focusing on its core outreach areas in the year ahead, Tech CU executives and senior managers will reach out to the community by sharing their knowledge and experience in finance and business leadership with such diverse groups as the Silicon Valley Leadership Group’s Women & Girls Summit, San Jose State University’s Lucas College and Graduate School of Business, Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business, and the Foothill-DeAnza Community College District. Tech CU will also work with the Bay Area Council and Breakthrough Silicon Valley to support their STEM programs.
Every year, Tech CU employees, members and their families give thousands of dollars in monetary donations and hundreds of volunteer hours to local organizations that have a direct impact on people’s lives. Below is a round up of the organizations and programs Tech CU supported in 2013:
- Breakthrough Silicon Valley
- Bill Wilson Center
- Family Giving Tree
- Full Circle Fund
- Girls for A Change
- GLOW Financial Education & College Prep
- Laboratory for Learning for teachers
- San Jose Museum of Art’s Multi-Part Art program for schools
- Silicon Valley Education Foundation’s Stepping Up to Algebra program
- SJSU’s Silicon Valley Innovation Challenge
- Tech Museum Tech Challenge
- Tipping Point Community
To learn more about Tech CU’s community outreach program and grant guidelines, go to the community section of the web site: www.techcu.com/community.
ABOUT TECHNOLOGY CREDIT UNION
www.techcu.com
Founded in 1960 by the employees of Fairchild Camera and Instrument Semiconductor Division, Tech CU has served the high tech workforce in Silicon Valley for more than 50 years and today has 70,000 individual, non-profit and business members and more than $1.7 billion in assets. The financial institution is recognized as one of the best managed and strongest in the country, as indicated by Tech CU’s 5-star rating from Bauer Financial, the nation’s largest independent rating service for banks and credit unions. Tech CU’s members have access to 65,000+ surcharge-free ATMs nationwide, online and mobile banking, 10 full-service branches throughout the Bay Area, and comprehensive mortgage, wealth management and commercial banking services.