Institutions partner to help foster kids
EL CENTRO — Two local institutions partnered recently to collect backpacks and school supplies for children in the local foster care system.
From Aug. 1 to 17, First Imperial Credit Union and El Centro Regional Medical Center placed donation bins at their locations to collect backpacks and school supplies for the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Imperial Valley.
“Everyone here at ECRMC is honored to have had the opportunity to partner with First Imperial Credit Union and CASA of the Imperial Valley to collect school supplies for our local children,” said Cathy Kennerson, chief strategic officer of ECRMC. “With the help of our staff, providers and volunteers, we all worked together to help local students start the school year prepared to succeed. We are constantly looking for ways to give back to our communities, so when this opportunity came up, we didn’t hesitate to say, yes!”
The two institutions were successful in their inaugural drive and were able to collect more than 100 backpacks and hundreds of supplies to provide the students in CASA’s program a healthy new start to the school year.
“It is very exciting to have had the opportunity to partner with a local healthcare institution like ECRMC to get both our teams involved with supporting our community’s youth,” said Fidel Gonzalez, president and CEO of FICU. “We know we are making a difference in the lives of these students by providing them with the tools and materials they need to start the school year off right. Collaboration will always yield more success and we hope this is only the beginning for more joint efforts with other local institutions in our community.”
Donations were collected at all First Imperial Credit Union branches, El Centro Regional Medical Center and its outpatient clinics. Backpacks and supplies will be distributed by CASA of Imperial Valley.