SECU HOLDS FOOD DRIVE TO BENEFIT MARYLAND FOOD BANK

SECU – Maryland’s largest state-chartered financial cooperative – will be holding both a traditional Food Drive and a not-so-traditional Facebook campaign to help Maryland’s hungry.

“More than 29 million meals are distributed annually in Maryland to those in need,” says Carmen David Mirabile, Assistant Vice President of Marketing at SECU. “With so great a need, we are asking our members and the general public to help us in providing holiday meals for families struggling with hunger.”

From October 20 through November 10, food donations will be accepted at all SECU branches throughout the state to benefit the Maryland Food Bank and other organizations providing meals to those in need. Items particularly needed (no glass please) include:

• Canned meats, including canned ham, chicken, tuna, salmon, and sardines;
• Peanut butter, nuts, and seeds;
• Macaroni and Cheese;
• Canned stews, soups, beans, vegetables, and fruits;
• Oatmeal and breakfast cereal; and
• Pasta, rice, and rice cakes.

Food donations can be dropped off at any SECU branch, and SECU will handle forwarding all items to the Maryland Food Bank and other organizations.

In addition to food donations, SECU will donate $2 to the Maryland Food Bank on behalf of individual school districts throughout Maryland for every new “Like” it receives for its Facebook page between now and October 31.

Members and non-members alike can “Like” SECU’s Facebook page, then check the box for the specific Maryland county they would like their donation to support. Additionally, each visitor can write in the name of a school they represent. The school with the most write-ins will receive a $500 donation from SECU to use as it pleases.

The Maryland Food Bank was founded in 1979 to coordinate the procurement and distribution of food donations from manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and government agencies to organizations providing free food to the state’s hungry. Last year, the Maryland Food Bank distributed more than 26.5 million pounds of food through a network of 600 soup kitchens, pantries, and shelters across the state.

Help SECU to support those in need this holiday season. For more information, visit SECU’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/SECUMD.

ABOUT SECU

Founded in Baltimore in 1951, SECU is the largest state-chartered financial cooperative in Maryland, with over 230,000 members. SECU is ranked among the top 50 credit unions for total assets in the U.S. As of September, 2014, assets were $2.8 billion. Headquartered in Linthicum, MD, SECU has 21 branches and 106 ATMs throughout Maryland. SECU also provides access to over 72,000 free ATMs through the CO-OP and Allpoint networks. For more information about SECU, visit secumd.org.

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