Beaumont, Texas – Education First Federal Credit Union (EFFCU) employees will present donations of $13,500 to
three local non-profit organizations on Tuesday, November 28 in recognition of Giving Tuesday, a global day of
generosity that started in 2012.

Education First employees raised funds throughout the year via their Blue Jean Friday Fund. The fund, created in
2014, provides employees with an opportunity to wear blue jeans to work every Friday, in exchange for a $2
donation to the fund. To date, employees have raised over $71,000 that has been donated back to area nonprofits, schools, and people who lost their homes in Hurricane Harvey and Tropical Storm Imelda.

In the past, an internal committee would nominate organizations to receive the donations, and Education First
employees would vote on them. However, “seeing inflation’s impact on the economy this year was reason to
stop and reassess our approach,” said Laura Landry, Community Relations Coordinator. Landry, who also
oversees the employee volunteer program noted “Many of the organizations that our employees volunteer for are
struggling to provide the same services they have provided in years past because operating costs are up, and
donations are down, which makes it even harder to decide who should receive the funds.”

The solution was to turn the fund into a grant program that opened applications to local 501 (c)(3)
organizations that credit union employees may not have otherwise been familiar with, or aware of their needs.
Applicants were asked to provide details such as a project description, expected outcomes, as well as the
organization’s vision and history of service. The program was promoted via the Southeast Texas Non-Profit
Development Center and via the credit union’s social media accounts and received more than 65 applications. A
committee of eight Education First employees reviewed the applications, narrowing it down to the following
three organizations that will each receive a $4,500 donation.

• Boys’ Haven
• Hope Women’s Resource Clinic
• Southeast Texas Food Bank

Boys’ Haven has plans to develop a computer lab for the residents of the Journey House Transitional
Independent Living program to assist with continuing education and increasing access to employment
opportunities. Journey House provides services for young men ages 18-24 who have aged out of foster care or
experiencing homelessness due to other unfortunate circumstances.

Hope Women’s Resource Clinic provides free pregnancy testing, educational resources, STD/STI testing, and supplies for expectant mothers and babies up to one-year-old. They will use their grant to replenish the Hope
Clinic Blessings Boutique with much-needed cribs, play-yards, and car seats for clients who complete a course on
safe sleep and car seat safety.

Southeast Texas Food Bank distributes food to low-income members of the community through its association
with 100-member social service agencies and 40 qualified schools in their eight-county territory. The grant will
allow them to provide a 20lb food box to 675 individuals facing food insecurity in Jefferson County. This
translates to 13,500 meals for individuals in Southeast Texas who may otherwise face hunger and inadequate
nutrition.