Hartford Federal Credit Union Gives 2023
At a ceremony on March 15 attended by Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, Hartford Federal Credit Union (HFCU) unveiled our $250,000 Community Giving Initiative, Hartford Federal Credit Union Gives 2023. This campaign is designed to support organizations with low cost structures that provide essential services to people of modest means.
Ed Danek, HFCU President & CEO, remarked that, “We are a good corporate citizen, but we’ve never been able to give back at this scale. And we were fortunate enough to have a such a good year in 2022 that we were able to create the Hartford Federal Credit Union Gives 2023 campaign.”
$111,650 donated as of October 1st!
Ed Danek (center) and Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz (right) on March 15 with representatives from the eight organizations listed below.
Ed Danek presented a check for $10,000 to Malta House Interim Executive Director Dianne Auger (left) and Associate Director of Advancement Betsy Walsh (right)
Ed had the opportunity to talk with Renee DiNino from The River 105.9 about our campaign
HFCU donated $2,500 to the Curtis D. Robinson Center for Health Equity in recognition of Juneteenth. Left to right: Carolyn Alessi from Trinity Health of New England, HFCU President & CEO Ed Danek, and Tim Stanton from Trinity Health of New England
Ed visited Brian Schactman at WTIC News/Talk 1080 with Pam Wassik from the Newington Food Bank to talk about HFCU's recent donation
Ed Danek, Jr. (right) presents a $5,000 check to Laura Soll-Broxterman, a member of the Board of the Windsor Food and Fuel Bank
Below are a few highlights from our campaign!
March
To kick off the campaign, we presented the following eight organizations with $10,000 checks at the unveiling ceremony:
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Joan C. Dauber Food Bank at St. Francis Hospital |
South Windsor Food & Fuel Bank |
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Simsbury Food Pantry |
Safe Net Ministries |
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Newington Food Bank |
Windsor Food and Fuel Bank |
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The Village for Families & Children |
My Sisters’ Place |
April
On a blustery day in April, we presented a check for $10,000 to the Malta House of Care Clinic. They provide high-quality, free primary health care to uninsured adults in Greater Hartford.
May
In May, Ed Danek presented a $5,000 check to Operation Fuel Communications Specialist Britt’ny Bettis-Allen in front of our headquarters on Asylum Avenue. Operation Fuel provides emergency assistance to Connecticut residents struggling to pay energy and utility bills, and advocates for energy affordability.
Also in May, Ed had the opportunity to talk with Renee DiNino from The River 105.9 about our campaign and the Credit Union mission. You can listen to the interview on the iHeart website!
Later that month, Ed visited Brian Schactman at WTIC News/Talk 1080 with Pam Wassik from the Newington Food Bank. Pam shared that when she learned HFCU was donating $10,000 to the Newington Food Bank, “it took [her] breath away because that morning [she] looked on the shelves and they were bare.” Their full conversation is posted here.
On Saturday, May 20, the HFCU Team participated in Connecticut Foodshare’s Walk Against Hunger! Hundreds of people gathered together at Dunkin’ Park for one cause: to raise funds and advocate for food insecurity. Through our Hartford Federal Credit Union Gives 2023 campaign, we were an event sponsor and also matched the $1,000 our employees raised! A special thank you goes to (pictured left to right) Ilma Riccucci, Farmington Valley Branch Manager, Stacey Marsh, AVP-Controller, and Taylor Carlson, AVP-Branch Operations, for participating and raising money for the event!
June
In recognition of Juneteenth, HFCU donated $2,500 to the Curtis D. Robinson Center for Health Equity. The Center for Health Equity is a part of Community Health and Well Being at Trinity Health of New England, Saint Francis Hospital, and its mission is to advance health equity in our communities through engagement, research, education, and advocacy. Since it’s inception in 2010, the center has tested more than 8,000 men for prostate cancer and saved more than 40 lives; the center also provides community programs addressing health inequities through the mobilization of Community Health Workers. The donation was made in honor of Curtis D. Robinson.
July
Summer was heating up and we wanted to keep our momentium going in July! Starting at our Stafford Branch, HFCU donated $2,500 to Safe Net Ministries. This brought the Credit Union’s total 2023 Safe Net contributions to $12,500.
Next, our Farmington Valley Branch Manager, Ilma Riccucci (left), proudly presented a check to Holcomb Farm Board Member Donna Snyder (right). HFCU is a "15 Tons Sponsor", named for the 15 tons of produce the Farm provides each year to people in need. These funds will help support Holcomb Farm’s community efforts, such as Fresh Access. This program provides healthy food, free-of-charge to more than 500 households per week during the Farm’s growing season.
We wrapped up the month back at our Main Office in Hartford. Ed Danek presented a $5,000 check to Laura Soll-Broxterman, a member of the Board of the Windsor Food and Fuel Bank, on July 20. This brought HFCU’s total 2023 Windsor Food and Fuel Bank donations to $15,000.
Laura Soll-Broxterman explained, "We are extremely grateful for this donation toward the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank’s Fuel & Utilities Assistance program. It provides emergency crisis benefits to eligible residents in town who are experiencing hardship with utility bills such as electricity, water, and heating. There is a critical need for this type of assistance year-round, and not only during the winter months as some think."
In August, we supported Community Renewal Team's Meals on Wheels program for homebound seniors. For over 50 years, Community Renewal Team has helped people in Central Connecticut lift their quality of life.
With September drawing near, HFCU President & CEO Ed Danek presented a $2,500 check for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation at the 2nd Annual Dan Williamson Memorial Golf Classic on August 28. The Golf Classic once again raised over $10,000 for the Foundation, which helps America’s heroes by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children, and by building specially adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. They are also committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and helping America to Never Forget September 11, 2001.
“With the anniversary of the September 11th attacks just days away, we felt there was no better time to support this organization, which was founded to honor the sacrifice of firefighter Stephen Siller, who laid down his life to save others on 9/11. Dan Williamson was also patriot and would be pleased that we are honoring his memory with the donation to such a terrific charity,” explained Ed.