Ascentra and Its Members Raise $23,350, Equivalent to 116,750 Meals, for the River Bend Foodbank

With local food insecurity at an all-time high, the members of Ascentra Credit Union, through an auto loan promotion, generated $23,350 to be donated to the River Bend Foodbank. The donation will provide approximately 116,750 meals for local families in the Quad Cities, Clinton and Muscatine communities in which we serve.

“It’s especially important that during times like these that we focus on helping our communities,” said Linda Andry, Interim President and CEO of Ascentra Credit Union. “We have been a partner with the River Bend Foodbank in the past and are proud that this effort has generated such a large donation and are excited about the difference it’ll make for families experiencing food insecurity during this pandemic.”

Since 2018, Ascentra members financing a new vehicle during the holiday season have been eligible to receive $50 and to give a $50 donation from Ascentra, to a predetermined charity in that member’s community. In 2018, Toys for Tots and The Holiday Network were the benefactors, in 2019, the Salvation Army of the Quad Cities, Muscatine, and Clinton, and in 2020, the River Bend Foodbank. 

“In three years, this promotion has generated a combined $55,500 in donations,” said Jennifer Naeve, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Ascentra Credit Union. “An impact we are proud of; especially this year as the need was great. It was important for us to help spread awareness that the COVID-19 pandemic has created a hunger pandemic right here in our communities.”

This 2020 holiday promotion was a part of a larger awareness “Season of Caring” campaign. This campaign was developed to bring awareness to the food insecurity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to people in our region. In part, a dedicated webpage was created on Ascentra’s site that not only invited their members and people in the community to join them in raising awareness and fighting against hunger, but also included local statistics about the Foodbank’s large-scale operations and its school and senior programs. An awareness video was also created, in partnership with the Foodbank, which talked about the growing hunger needs in the local communities and how to get connected with the Foodbank for help.

“On behalf of more hungry people than ever before,” said Mike Miller, President & CEO of River Bend Foodbank, “many thanks to Ascentra, their members who took advantage of this promotion, and especially those who donated their share to help those in need. You are truly ‘being the light’ to others, as our Ascentra friends have encouraged us to do.”

Ascentra staff also volunteered at River Bend’s NorthPark Mall food pantry on International Credit Union Day, Oct. 15, 2020. The Ascentra Credit Union Foundation has committed to funding four mobile food pantries in Moline, Ill., and in Davenport, Clinton and Muscatine, Iowa in the near future.

For more information about hunger education, pantries in your area, the River Bend Foodbank or how you can help fight hunger in your community, visit riverbendfoodbank.org.