FOR ANTIGO TIMES

CoVantage Cares Foundation has announced the kickoff of their annual 2-week fundraising campaign.  The event will begin Tuesday, December 3, which has become known nationally as “Giving Tuesday,” and will end on December 17. Funds generated will be matched with up to $150,000 in contributions from CoVantage Cares Foundation, a public charity established by CoVantage Credit Union.  Local non-profit organizations to receive funding from this year’s campaign were selected by CoVantage staff and are located throughout the communities served by CoVantage Credit Union.

CoVantage Cares Foundation was established as a way to provide financial support to organizations that serve individuals, especially those experiencing significant financial challenge, and organizations that work to enhance quality of life in communities served by CoVantage Credit Union.  According to CoVantage CEO Charlie Zanayed, “I’m grateful to say our credit union has a history of supporting local non-profit organizations and living our mission of helping those in need. Because our members, staff, and community members have made Giving Tuesday campaigns such a huge success the past three years, we wanted to continue our public fundraising effort in 2019 with a larger match by the CoVantage Cares Foundation. We believe the communities we serve have the potential to raise enough money to match the Foundation’s $150,000 grant and as a result we anticipate being able to provide resources that will benefit thousands of local people served by receiving organizations. Please join me by making a Giving Tuesday contribution between December 3 and December 17 at any CoVantage branch. CoVantage members can also make online donations through MyCoVantage.”

Charities selected to receive funding from the fourth annual Giving Tuesday initiative and their sponsoring CoVantage branches include: United Way of Langlade County (Antigo); The Neighbors’ Place (Wausau, Weston, Rib Mountain, Rothschild); Elcho Food Pantry (Elcho); Midwest Indian Mission, Inc./New Hope Shelter & Transitional Housing (Crandon); National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Northern Lakes (Rhinelander); Operation Bootstrap Inc. (Stevens Point); Bridge the Gap, Inc. (Shawano); Suamico Fire Department (Suamico); Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of the Fox Cities (Neenah, Menasha, Appleton); Iron Endurance/Crystella Rec. Assoc. (Crystal Falls, MI); Sons of American Legion Reino Squadron No 21 (Iron River, MI); and Menominee Opera House (Menominee, MI).

For more information about CoVantage Cares Foundation or the Giving Tuesday campaign, go to www.covantagecu.org/cares

CoVantage Credit Union, with headquarters in Antigo, Wisconsin, has $1.8 billion in assets and serves over 118,000 members across all of their locations. Founded in 1953, the financial cooperative serves members living or working in 22 counties in Wisconsin and three counties in the U.P. of Michigan.