Dollar Bank Charity Campaign raises $15,000 for Local Nonprofits
From November 2023 to February 2024, customer transactions helped Dollar Bank truly make a difference for children in need. In its third year, through this annual campaign $1 is donated to select local nonprofits for each qualifying customer Zelle® or Bill Pay transaction. At the campaign's end, $15,000 was raised to benefit charities from Pennsylvania, Ohio and Virginia that focus on helping children in need. These donations will enable the organizations to further their missions and positively impact their communities.
Homeless Children’s Education Fund (HCEF), which seeks to end homelessness in children's populations while helping youth with their education and future, was selected to benefit from Pennsylvania customer transactions. AJ Jefferson, Chief Executive Officer of HCEF, states that the funds will help the areas most affected.
“Thank you to Dollar Bank’s customers for choosing HCEF to receive the proceeds from its charity campaign,” said Jefferson.
“I am thrilled Dollar Bank is a trusted partner in our fight to champion youth experiencing homelessness in our region with educational opportunities. The donation will be utilized as unrestricted funds, allowing for flexible allocation to the areas of highest need within our organization’s pool of available resources. Your continued support is greatly appreciated and has helped us spread our message to an even wider audience,” continued Jefferson.
Beyond the grant, the charity campaign helped the organizations with visibility and awareness, according to Monica Lloyd, Executive Director of Shoes and Clothes for Kids (SC4K), the Ohio charity campaign beneficiary.
“SC4K was thrilled to be chosen as a recipient of Dollar Bank’s Zelle® Charity Campaign last month. The spotlight video and customer promotions helped raise critical awareness about SC4K’s free supplies for teachers, students, and families,” Lloyd said. “Although we are a 55-year-old organization, it’s amazing how many people still do not know SC4K exists. As a nonprofit organization that charges no fees for our services, every dollar raised directly supports the work of purchasing and distributing new items for Cleveland’s most vulnerable individuals – our children. The new items we distribute break down barriers to education, helping more students get to school and focus on learning. The Dollar Bank team also volunteered in our SC4K Free Store, stuffing school supply pouches and stocking the shelves for our teacher and partners shops.”
The Together We Can Foundation, which concentrates its efforts on improving outcomes for at-risk youth in transition to adult life and the workforce, was selected as the Hampton Roads, Virginia beneficiary of the charity campaign. Tom Crockett, Executive Director of the Together We Can Foundation, is excited to advance their mission even further.
“This couldn’t come at a better time for us,” Crockett said. “The grant that Dollar Bank provided, along with this community campaign has helped us move the needle on youth disconnection in Hampton Roads. By helping youth plan for the transition to adult life and work, know themselves better and present themselves in the workplace more effectively, we have changed lives.”
In its 2022-2023 fiscal year, the Together We Can Foundation served over 1,000 youth with direct programming.
About Homeless Children's Education Fund
Homeless Children's Education Fund's (HCEF) mission is to advance the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness in Southwestern Pennsylvania, guiding them to be productive, empowered citizens. Established in 1999 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, HCEF's role in the community has expanded to impact the needs of the region's most vulnerable population. HCEF relies on support from community foundations, corporations and individuals and receives no governmental funding.
About Shoes and Clothes for Kids
Founded in 1969, Shoes and Clothes for Kids (SC4K) is a dedicated nonprofit organization based in Greater Cleveland. SC4K's mission is to improve school attendance by eliminating the lack of appropriate clothing, shoes and school supplies as barriers. SC4K provides new shoes, clothing and school supplies to children and families facing economic hardships, empowering them to overcome obstacles and succeed in their education and life. Additionally, as the local affiliate of Kids in Need Foundation, SC4K provides classroom and school supplies to teachers in schools where at least 60% of students qualify for the National School Lunch program. Through partnerships, volunteers and the unwavering support of the community, SC4K distributes over $3.1 million worth of products to 26,000 kids and 2,700 teachers each year.
About Together We Can Foundation-Smart Transitions
The Together We Can Foundation is a 501 C3 organization dedicated to preventing youth disconnection in Hampton Roads by providing life-work transition planning and skills. Disconnected youth are between the ages of 16 and 24 who are not employed, not enrolled in school, and not well connected to community resources. There are currently around 21,000 youth who meet that description in Hampton Roads. Because they are disconnected or at risk of disconnection, they are more likely to experience chronic unemployment, homelessness, incarceration, trafficking, mental and behavioral health challenges and substance abuse issues. Zelle® and the Zelle® related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC and are used here in under license.
About Dollar Bank
Dollar Bank has assets of more than $11.5 billion. Today, Dollar Bank operates more than 90 locations throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio and Virginia and has over 1,500 employees. For more than 168 years, Dollar Bank has grown to become the largest mutual bank in the United States, committed to providing the highest quality of banking services to individuals and businesses. Dedicated to aiding the communities it serves, Dollar Bank supports quality of life initiatives, financial literacy programs and organizations devoted to helping individuals and families in need. Dollar Bank (www.dollar.bank) is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.