Press release from Coast Central Credit Union:

Coast Central Credit Union President/CEO James T. Sessa announced that its Board of Directors has approved $150,000 in grants to 20 local organizations through its Community Investment Program’s fall round. A total of 112 non-profits had requested $1.5 million, a new record for the 15-year-old program. Coast Central also supports its communities through sponsorships and college scholarships for a total of $650,000 this year throughout Humboldt, Del Norte, and Trinity counties. Additionally, Coast Central employees contribute 5,000 hours annually in volunteerism.

Fall 2023 recipients include:

Humboldt County

  • $25,000: Food for People; emergency response vehicle
  • $15,000: Affordable Homeless Housing Alternatives; hygiene products & showers
  • $15,000: Alderpoint Volunteer Fire; new PPE equipment
  • $8,500: Willow Creek Volunteer Fire; new rescue rope system
  • $6,880: Cumbre Humboldt; swim lessons for Latinx children
  • $5,220: North Coast Rape Crisis Team; cell phones for survivors
  • $5,000: Pacout Green Team; hygiene items, socks, and services
  • $5,000: Ferndale Police; new radios for emergency response team
  • $5,000: Humboldt Domestic Violence Services; food gift cards for survivors
  • $4,000: Blue Lake Fire; new CPR equipment
  • $3,000: Humboldt County CERT; first aid supplies for emergency response
  • $2,600: HCAR; yard equipment for developmentally disabled work crew
  • $2,500: Providence St. Joseph Hospital; gas cards for cancer patients
  • $2,000: Friends of the Dunes; environmental education gear for children

Del Norte County

  • $12,000: Del Norte Junior Livestock; new animal pens for children showing
  • $5,000: Del Norte High Soccer; new goal posts and nets for boys and girls teams
  • $4,800: Fort Dick Fire Protection; new emergency lights for fire trucks

Trinity County

  • $15,000: Coffee Creek Elementary School; new generator
  • $6,500: Trinity Jr. Wolves Youth Football & Cheer; uniforms
  • $2,000: Hayfork Community Center; warm weather clothing for youth

“The tremendous increase in requests this round clearly demonstrates the challenging times our community organizations are experiencing,” stated Sessa. “We are grateful to our volunteer Board of Directors for approving our current level of giving and to our members who directly support these organizations through their loyalty.” The spring round of grants opens February 1 at coastccu.org/community/community-giving.

Coast Central Credit Union is the largest member-owned financial institution in the area, with $2 billion in assets, over 77,000 members, and operating 11 Member Services Branches throughout Humboldt, Del Norte and Trinity counties, including McKinleyville, open six days a week and Bayshore Mall, open seven days a week. Additionally, members have access to a network of 30,000 free CO-OP ATMs nationwide. Individuals who live or work in any of these counties may be eligible to bank at CCCU by applying at coastccu.org/join. More information is available at coastccu.org and on Facebook and Instagram.