Pictured from left to right: Ann Clark, Odalis Rodriguez, Laura Bauknecht, and Becca Christensen from CoVantage; Linda Klopfer, Mark Klopfer, John Roll, Sue Brautigam, Robert Brautigam, and Jeffrey Avery from Elcho Community Pavilion, Inc. presenting a check totaling $29,728.87 from the Giving Tuesday Fundraiser donated to the Elcho Community Pavilion, Inc.

FOR THE ANTIGO TIMES

The Board of Directors for CoVantage Cares Foundation announced that checks totaling $507,073 were presented to local non-profit groups that serve communities where CoVantage Credit Union has branches. The funds were made possible thanks to generous donations by CoVantage Credit Union members, staff, and community members who responded to the Foundation’s 2020 Giving Tuesday campaign.

Giving Tuesday, which is immediately after Black Friday, is nationally-recognized for charitable giving. Branch staff throughout CoVantage Credit Union’s locations were asked to select a non-profit group in their community to be the recipient of funds raised, with the understanding that contributions generated during the two-week fundraising campaign would be matched up to $150,000 by CoVantage Cares Foundation. Thanks to the matching funds, along with the generosity of many, donations totaling $507,073, a 33% increase from 2019 were gifted locally.

According to Charlie Zanayed, CoVantage CEO and CoVantage Cares Foundation Board Member, “We are amazed and humbled by the generosity of our members, employees, and community members for giving a financial boost to these eleven deserving charities during these challenging times.  I am grateful to be able to say CoVantage Credit Union has a history of supporting communities and the Foundation has allowed us to do even more. CoVantage Cares was established as a way to live our mission of helping those in need, especially individuals and families experiencing significant financial challenge, and organizations that work to enhance quality of life in communities served by CoVantage Credit Union.”

Charities selected to receive funding from the fifth annual Giving Tuesday initiative and their sponsoring CoVantage branches include: Elcho Community Pavilion, Inc. (Elcho); United Way of Langlade County (Antigo); Safe Haven Domestic Abuse & Sexual Assault Support Center (Shawano); Forest County Ties That Bind Us (Crandon); YMCA of the Northwoods, Inc. (Rhinelander); Children’s Imaginarium, Inc. (Wausau, Weston, Rib Mountain, Rothschild); Interfaith Food Pantry of Portage County, Inc. (Stevens Point); Henes Park Improvement (Menominee, MI); Boys & Girls Club Fox Valley, Inc. (Neenah, Menasha, Appleton); Freedom House Green Bay (Suamico); Locker Lunch, Inc. (Iron River & Crystal Falls, MI)

For more information about CoVantage Cares Foundation, or to obtain the grant application needed to request a donation, visit www.covantagecu.org/cares