With help from United Way of Kenosha County, the Mahone Foundation and BCU, a credit union based in Vernon Hills, Ill., with a new branch location in Kenosha, made the holiday season brighter for students at Southport and Curtis Strange elementary schools by distributing ‘Gifts 4 Kids’ from the BCU Giving Tree.
“This holiday season, United Way of Kenosha County is proud to unite BCU and the Mahone Foundation in an effort to bring happiness and hope to young people throughout our community,” said Carolynn Friesch, CEO for United Way of Kenosha County. “Our mission is to bring organizations together to support and strengthen Kenosha County.”
About the ‘Gifts 4 Kids’ Partnership
Seventy-five gift wishes were printed on holiday tags and hung on the BCU Giving Tree, an annual BCU gift drive to provide gifts for those in need during the holiday season, at the BCU Corporate office in Vernon Hills. “Our employees grabbed a tag or two and purchased the gifts,” said Leslie LaSota, member of the BCU Volunteerism Committee.
“The holidays are all about coming together to make life a little brighter for our community. At BCU, we’re all about empowering people, and teaming up with the Mahone Foundation is a great way to share that spirit,” said BCU President & CEO Mike Valentine.
Tim Mahone, chairman of the Mahone Foundation, said a key to the success of the Mahone Foundation and BCU’s ‘Gifts 4 Kids’ was community partnership at all levels, including from the United Way of Kenosha County. Together, the Mahone Foundation volunteers, BCU, and Curtis Strange and Southport elementary schools gathered a list of more than 100 gift wishes. “And then the Mahone Foundation and BCU helped make the wishes come true,” Mahone said.
Gift Giving at Area Schools
Curtis Strange Principal Yolanda Jackson Lewis said, “The Curtis Strange family is overwhelmed with gratitude for the immense generosity shown by BCU and the Mahone Foundation during this season of giving. Thank you for spreading kindness, love, and joy to our families and school community.”
Ms. Nellyka Dennis, Miss Kenosha 2025 and 2016 Mahone Scholar, volunteered for the Gift 4 Kids event at Curtis Strange. “This was a very special moment for me to hand out gifts to these students. It was so much fun to watch them open their gifts, but it also touched my heart to bring tears of joy and happiness during this holiday season,” said Ms. Dennis.
Heidi Bassler, school counselor at Southport Elementary, says the school is beyond grateful for the support of the Mahone Foundation and BCU this holiday season. “Every child deserves a little magic in their life,” Bassler said. “Surprising them with this gift is a great way to show true compassion, care, and magic!”
“As the gifts were being handed out, it became a bit emotional for me to hear so many young people say out loud Merry Christmas and see the gratitude, excitement, and smiles on the kids’ faces,” Mahone said. “Giving back to the community, especially at this time of year, is part of the mission of the Mahone Foundation and our partners.”
About the Mary Lou & Arthur F. Mahone Foundation
The Mary Lou & Arthur F. Mahone Foundation‘s mission is to provide educational opportunities for economically and academically deserving youth while supporting healthy lifestyle initiatives in communities of color.
About BCU
BCU is a not-for-profit, member-owned Credit Union that is fiercely dedicated to Empowering People to Discover Financial Freedom. At just over $6B in assets, BCU is driven by its commitment to providing a fast, easy, secure banking experience and extraordinary service for close to 360,000 members. The BCU field of membership includes employees and families of large employers that are focused on the financial well-being of their workforce; those who live or work in northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, and the island of Puerto Rico; and subscribers of BCU’s wholly-owned Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO), Life. Money. You.® within communities and Fortune 100 workplaces throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. All BCU members enjoy lifetime access to financial services and well-being programming that inspire confidence through the brand promise “Here Today For Your Tomorrow.”
To learn more about how we can help you realize your financial dreams, visit BCU.org.
About United Way of Kenosha County
United Way of Kenosha County envisions a community where all individuals and families in Kenosha County achieve their human potential through education, income, and healthy lives. United Way of Kenosha County is committed to connecting diverse voices and maximizing resources to collectively strengthen and uplift Kenosha County.
