FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Tom Swanston
Director of Major Gifts
Cell 757-377-4016
tom.swanston@lighthouseblv.org
SUNCOAST CREDIT UNION FOUNDATION PROVIDES $5,000 TO LIGHTHOUSE FOR THE BLIND & LOW VISION
Florida — Lighthouse for the Blind & Low Vision announces a charitable gift of $5,000 from the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation. The funds will be used for our teen transition program in Tampa. The teen transition helps kids who are blind and low vision graduate high school and transition to college or employment. People who are blind cannot drive so the funds will go for transportation to and from the program and worksites.
“It is so crucial to bring visually impaired or blind teens together weekly during the school year and for 5 weeks during the summer to work on employment skills and self-sufficiency skills. Bringing the teens to the Lighthouse from their high school or home and to a work site is very costly but so important. Suncoast Credit Union’s support for transportation is so appreciated,” said Sheryl Brown, President, Tampa Lighthouse for the Blind & Low Vision.
Suncoast Credit Union, Florida’s largest credit union, founded the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation to promote the education, health and emotional well-being of children in the community. Each time a Suncoast member uses their debit or credit card, the credit union donates two cents to the Foundation to fund local initiatives. Since its inception in 1990, the Foundation has raised and donated over $45 million.
“At Suncoast Credit Union, we believe that every student deserves the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential,” said Jeff Kunberger, Executive Director of the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation. “By partnering with Tampa Lighthouse for the Blind, we are investing in the future of these teens, helping to remove obstacles, and ensuring that their successful transition from high school to college or employment is within reach.”
About The Lighthouse for the Blind & Low Vision, Inc.
The Lighthouse for the Blind & Low Vision, Inc. (The Lighthouse) is a private nonprofit 501 (c) 3 corporation. Our mission is maximizing independence and providing employment opportunities for persons who are blind or visually impaired. The Lighthouse was originally developed in 1940 by the Jewish Women’s Guild. We help people who are blind and low vision exceed at every stage of their lives. From our Blind Babies Program, Teen Transition program, all the way to older adults and veterans who experience blindness or severe vision loss.
About Suncoast Credit Union
Suncoast Credit Union is the largest credit union in the state of Florida, the 8th largest in the United States based on membership, and the 10th largest in the United States based on its $19 billion in assets. Chartered in 1934 as Hillsborough County Teachers Credit Union, Suncoast Credit Union currently operates 78 full-service branches and serves more than 1.3 million members across Florida. As a community credit union, anyone who lives, works, attends school, or worships in Suncoast Credit Union’s service area is eligible for membership. In 2021, Suncoast Credit Union’s field of membership was expanded to include public K-12 teachers, college educators, and educational support staff from all of Florida’s 67 counties. Suncoast is passionate about community support. Since its founding in 1990, the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation has raised and donated more than $55 million to organizations and initiatives that support the health, education, and emotional well-being of children in the communities that the credit union serves. For more information, visit suncoast.com or follow us on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.