Suncoast Reaches Out To Storm-RavagedAreas

TAMPA, Fla. - (08/18/04) With all but one branch reopened to thepublic and all employees accounted for, Suncoast Schools CU isdoing all it can to help members, employees and local communitiesdevastated by Hurricane Charley. In addition to extending loans,waiving late fees and increasing credit lines, the creditunion’s board approved a measure to distribute $250,000through the Red Cross and other organizations serving thestorm-torn region. Suncoast is also offering emergency loans of upto $1,000 at 6%–essentially the same offering the CU has madeto its military members under the Soldiers & Sailors ReliefAct. "We’ve also relaxed our credit standards in manysituations in order to help as many people as we can," said CEO TomDorety. "We were very lucky. The storm chose the least populatedpath. Tampa has two-million residents, compared to about 150,000 inPort Charlotte. But devastation is just incredible, and we want totry to reach out to as many people as we can." Some Suncoaststaffers from the Tampa area have volunteered to go work inbranches that were in areas harder hit by Charley so that employeeswho live in those areas can concentrate on getting theirhomes–and their lives–back together, Doretyadded.