TALLAHASSEE, Fla.-The Florida CU Foundation has received $215,432 for its hurricane relief fund, and disbursed $116,000 of that. To make a donation or get more info, visit www.fcul.org.
Meanwhile, other states have also felt the effects from Charley, Frances, Ivan and now Jeanne.
* HARRISBURG, Penn.-Ivan may not have been a hurricane by the time it made it here, but parts of Pennsylvania still felt his wrath. The Pennsylvania Credit Union League reported that severe flooding in the Three Rivers area near Pittsburgh and also in Carnegie has affected several credit unions. Glenshaw CU's building may have to be torn down as a result of the flood damage, and the $3-million credit union has no other branch. U.E.S. Community CU was operating from only its second floor as its first floor could not be secured following the onslaught. PPG& Associates CU and Mid-Atlantic Corporate CU also reported problems resulting from the flooding.
* IRMO, S.C.-Credit unions in South Carolina have fared well during this hurricane season, according to the league. A few tornadoes spun off by Ivan did touch down in the state, and there was plenty of wind and rain, but no credit unions reported any damage. Although some schools and government offices shut down or closed early in some cases, the credit unions that served them stayed open, the league reported.
* DULUTH, Ga.-The Wright CU, Toccoa, Ga., lost one of its members to a tornado spun off by Hurricane Ivan, but otherwise credit unions in this state have come through the storms pretty well, according to M.J. Kabaci, PR specialist with the Georgia Credit Union Affiliates. "The member was trying to outrun the tornado in her car, and somehow her car crashed, and she didn't survive," Kabaci related. "But other than that, we had a few credit unions with roof leaks and lots of traffic delays and employees who had to stay home because their kids were out of school. I think our office probably had more leaks than anybody."
* LYNCHBURG, Va.-Part of the state experienced flooding but credit unions were largely unscathed, according to the Virginia CU League.
* Meanwhile, in Florida, a number of CUs have taken steps to help members affected by the storm. Orlando-based Fairwinds CU is offering a special home improvement loan with reduced rate, deferred payment and closing costs waived; is offering deferred payments on consumer loans including auto loans and personal lines of credit, along with deferred payments and credit line increases on credit cards; is making available credit line increases on home equity lines of credit, and is waiving early withdrawal penalties on CDs and IRAS.
