Lizeth GeorgePenAir Credit Union (PenAir) Share It® program continues to be a powerful force for good, rallying members to raise over $22,600 in support of education during the 2023-2024 school year simply through a swipe of their debit card.
PenAir recently distributed the Share It Funds across three school districts with check presentations to the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation in Escambia County, Florida; the Santa Rosa Education Foundation (SREF) in Santa Rosa County, Florida; and Baldwin County Education Coalition in Baldwin County, Alabama.
Through the Share It program, PenAir donates 1 cent for every signature-based debit card transaction made by participating PenAir members to teachers in local county schools. The program is free for members and has contributed over $100,000 to area school systems since the program first launched in 2010.
“We understand the influence educators have on our families and communities,” said Derrick Aguilar, SVP, Chief Experience Officer at PenAir. “They desire and strive for the best resources and tools, and we can help them with these dollars. Our members just opt in, select a school system, and swipe their card. It’s that easy.”
In Escambia County, Florida, the Share It program helps to fund Tools for Teachers, an online resource store where teachers can order the supplies needed for their classrooms and students – rather than the teachers purchasing the items out of their own pockets.
In Baldwin County, Alabama, the funds enable Baldwin County Education Coalition’s Palm Project, which supplies disadvantaged students with school supplies, food, hygiene products, and more. The program aims to help students focus less on those needs and more on their education and future.
In Santa Rosa County, Florida, SREF uses the contributions to help fund the SREF Teacher Grant program. In recent years, the SREF program has awarded grants to over 65 recipients per year — impacting over 10,600 students and nearly 400 teachers.
For more information about PenAir’s Share It program and enrollment details, visit penair.org/DebitCards.
