Here’s what happens when 160 people who care about their communities spend a day chasing little white balls around: really good things.
Affinity Federal Credit Union‘s annual President’s Invitational Golf Outing just wrapped up, and the numbers tell a story worth celebrating. The June 8th event raised over $254,000 for the Affinity Foundation—crushing last year’s total by more than $40,000. That money goes directly to supporting communities across New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut through grants, member relief, and scholarships.
Not too shabby for a day on the links.
The Power Players Behind the Event
Big fundraising numbers don’t happen without big support. The Foundation is tipping its cap to the event’s major sponsors, including Allied Solutions, Fiserv, Vericast, VISA, Inc., Clear Wave Wealth Management, Alloy, Candescent, Ferreira Group, Kasasa, Lockton Companies, Saldutti Law Group, and TruStage. Add in all the participants and volunteers who showed up, and you’ve got the recipe for serious community impact.
“We thank everyone who showed up to support The Foundation’s mission,” said Kelly Watts, Executive Director of the Affinity Foundation. “This year, the support we provide is more important than ever. Your engagement translates into real impact for our members facing struggles and their communities.”
Where the Money Actually Goes
Let’s get specific about what a quarter-million dollars can do. The Affinity Foundation focuses on three core areas: grants for community nonprofits tackling real local issues, direct relief funds for Affinity members going through tough times, and scholarships for students heading off to college. Throughout the year, they host fundraising events and organize volunteer opportunities to keep the momentum going.
In other words, this isn’t check-writing for the sake of appearances. It’s about ending poverty, promoting education, and improving quality of life for actual people in their communities.
More Than Just Golf
The day featured all the highlights you’d expect—a cocktail reception, dinner, and over 40 raffle baskets donated by local businesses, members, and employees. But the real headliner came during the kickoff, when Affinity CEO and President Kevin Brauer took a moment to honor the Foundation’s work and remember John Fenton, who led Affinity as CEO for more than three decades.
“When we come together, we honor the foundation laid by those who came before us,” Brauer said. “Affinity was founded with the ethos of ‘people helping people.’ The Foundation allows us to provide direct support to those who need it most, transforming our communities and promoting wellbeing for all.”
As for the competition itself? Fiserv took first place, Schenck, Price, Smith & King LLP snagged second, and VISA, Inc. rounded out the podium in third. But with this kind of fundraising result, everyone who showed up walked away a winner.
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Affinity Foundation raises record high $335K in community support