DFCU has a long history of commitment to communities where we do business, with a special focus on education and, to a smaller degree, hospitals.
School districts and health institutions have been greatly impacted by the current situation, relying even more on donated dollars.
We are proud to support these important endeavors and share some great stories about what they are doing right now with their budgets to help students or those in their care.
Taylor Robotics team TNT 285 was able to create and donate 400 ear savers for masks so healthcare workers don't get cuts behind their ears. These were made with super hero designs on the three D printer that DFCU helped purchase. The students, through their instructor Joe Horvath, are also making white ribbon plastic pins for people to wear in the community.
Said Mr. Horvath, “It was all the teams’ idea. They were unable to compete this spring with other teams in the state-wide robotics challenge, so we needed to do something to feel useful and help.”
The ear savers were donated to Beaumont hospitals in Garden City and Dearborn.
Big Read--a community-wide reading program through National Endowment of the Arts and Dearborn Public libraries, was sponsored by DFCU. Because the regularly scheduled educational events were cancelled, we shared fun activities to do at home centered around the selected book "The World is Your Lab."
Due to donations from DFCU, both East Grand Rapids and Dearborn Ed Foundations were able to donate over 600 laptops to students who don't have them at home and need for home-based learning.
Said Executive Director Amy Stuursma, “Thank you for continuing to be a great supporter of public education in Michigan. We couldn't do what we do, especially in times like this, without your support.”
Novi Educational Foundation is working with local landscapers to build gardens and greenhouses at all five elementary schools. “There are several social and emotional benefits to gardening” said Foundation Executive Director Jason Smith. “Gardening meets some of our new science standards for students, plus all the fruits and vegetables that will be grown in these gardens will be provided to Feed the Need to help our community!”
Said Smith, “Thank you DFCU for your continued support of our community and our Novi students!”
Supported by a DFCU donation, Henry Ford Hospitals' Game on Cancer program delivered meals and supplies to cancer patients and families as the virus started.
Game on Cancer Kids Club, a special club for children who have a family member with cancer, provided art-at-home tool kits and virtual instructions as well as chalk, construction paper, paints, youth scissors and DFCU's Puppy Post newsletter.