Scott Credit Union Community Foundation

Expanding Credit Union Support to Local Communities

Creating a Foundation for Giving Back
SCOTT CREDIT UNION COMMUNITY FOUNDATION HISTORY

The Scott Credit Union Community Foundation was established early in 2018 to support and strengthen a core credit union commitment to our communities.

A charitable 501(c)3 foundation that is completely separate from Scott Credit Union. The SCU Community Foundation was created to expand the reach and our ability, leveraging our existing community involvement, to give back to the communities we serve through a charitable foundation.

Nearly all of the proceeds raised by the SCU Community Foundation are donated back into our local communities.

Creating a Foundation for Giving Back image

The SCU Community Foundation was established with two primary fundraising areas of focus:

    1. The annual golf tournament fundraiser that benefits causes in the community, and
    2. We will donate a percentage of your annual purchases on your SCU Epic and Blues debit card to the Scott Credit Union Community Foundation at no cost to you.

Annual SCU Community Foundation Golf Event

Since 2007, Foundation volunteers have helped raise more than $300,000 to our local communities through this event, and we are looking forward to another successful year. Proceeds from the tournament are used to support scholarships and multiple educational programs in the communities we serve.

Thank you to everyone that supported the 2025 SCU Community Foundation Golf Scramble! Your participation and support helped us raise more than $60,000, and we couldn’t have done it without you.

community foundation: Annual SCU Community Foundation Golf Event image

With You Grants Program

2025 With You Recipients Group Photo

A primary focus of the SCU Community Foundation is the implementation of programs to support initiatives at local schools. During these financially challenging times when many organizations are decreasing support, we want you to know that we are still with you.

Thank you for your interest in the With You Grants Program. This year’s application window has closed. With You Grants applications will reopen in the fall of 2026.

Please contact Ashleigh Deatherage by phone (618-381-7209) or email ([email protected]) if you have any questions.

2025 With You Grants Program Recipients

  • Belle Valley School District #119 (Belleville, IL) – The Bombers’ Closet is a confidential, school-run pantry providing all middle school students with free basic personal-care items, such as deodorant and shampoo, to boost confidence, support attendance, and ensure dignity by removing self-care barriers. Students can access supplies anonymously by request.
  • Triad High School (Troy, IL) – Culinary students will explore food insecurity and practice large-quantity preparation skills by cooking packaged meals for local families in need. These meals will be distributed through the school system or a local food pantry to directly support the community.
  • Mason Clark Middle School (East St. Louis, IL) – The Cardinal Care Closet is a student-led service-learning project that provides food and household necessities to families in need within the school community. By managing the entire process from donation drives to distribution, students build leadership skills and learn that active citizenship begins with uplifting those around them.
  • Wingate Elementary (Shiloh, IL) – Supporting a functional life skills program for 2nd through 5th graders with Autism, Down Syndrome and Developmental Delays, providing materials for hands-on cooking lessons and recipe-based learning activities.
  • Holman Middle School (St. Ann, MO) – Establishing an accessible, library-based Makerspace that supplies the tools and materials needed for collaborative, project-based STEAM learning, enhancing problem-solving, creativity, and real-world skill development for all Holman Middle School students.
  • Wolf Branch Middle School (Swansea, IL) – Funding supports providing grab-and-go breakfast items and snacks for students experiencing food insecurity, with a long-term goal of offering ready-to-eat meals for weekends and school breaks.
  • Jersey Community Middle School (Jerseyville, IL) – Enhancing a life skills classroom by supplying essential hygiene, cooking, cleaning, and art materials, expanding community learning opportunities, and adding adaptive playground equipment to support inclusion and sensory regulation.
  • Henning Elementary School (Troy, IL) – Adding a weather-resistant communication board to the playground to ensure all students, including those who use AAC, can participate in social play, express needs, and engage with peers in an equitable and inclusive environment.
  • St. Teresa Catholic School (Belleville, IL) – Updating aging playground swing equipment to reduce safety concerns and maintain a secure, enjoyable play environment for all students.
  • Holman Middle School (St. Ann, MO) – This project supplies healthy snacks to reduce hunger-related barriers during reading challenges, promoting improved concentration, reading success, and overall well-being for participating students.
  • Mascoutah Community Unit School District # 19 – Gifted Program (Mascoutah, IL) – Supports the Stretch or Support (SOS) program, which uses screen-free, data-driven reasoning games to build verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal thinking skills and promote academic growth for students across all elementary grade levels.
  • Scott Elementary School (Scott Air Force Base, IL) – Enhance independent reading by supplying durable seat pockets to store books of various sizes and adding engaging items such as flashlights, headlamps, and cushions to encourage student choice and enjoyment during reading time.
  • Trenton Elementary (Trenton, IL) – Enhances learning through thematic playdough activities, giving students opportunities to develop fine motor skills, communication, and cognitive growth in an engaging, hands-on environment.
  • Westhaven Elementary School (Belleville, IL) – Supply nutritious snacks and engaging, age-appropriate games to meet students’ basic needs and strengthen communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills in an inclusive classroom environment.
  • Grigsby Elementary School (Granite City, IL) – Support expanded communication access across the district by providing Translate Live devices to improve real-time engagement with Spanish speaking families during school events and daily interactions.
  • Wingate Elementary School (Shiloh, IL) – Expanding and updating classroom STEM bins with new hands-on, structured materials that encourage creative problem-solving and collaborative exploration during daily soft-start activities.
  • Loyola Academy of St. Louis (St. Louis, MO) – Funding the school’s nutrition program, which supplies all students with healthy breakfasts, lunches, and afternoon snacks to reduce food insecurity and support academic success and well-being.
  • Triad Middle School (St. Jacob, IL) – Supplies essential books for a reading intervention program designed to help students strengthen skills and progress toward grade-level reading success.
  • Bierbaum Elementary School (St. Louis, MO) – Provides essential materials such as tools, plants, and storage for a student garden club and schoolwide outdoor learning space, helping sustain interactive science and nature-based instruction.
  • Triad Middle School (St. Jacob, IL) – Provides incentives for a quarterly event that rewards students for positive behavior and contributions to a supportive, respectful school environment.
  • Pathways School (Belleville, IL) – The “Holiday Hearts Project” supplies toys, winter clothing, nonperishable food, and household essentials to families facing financial hardship during the holiday season, helping create a caring and supportive school community.
  • Roxana High School (Roxana, IL) -Strengthens a student-led sustainability garden by providing resources for environmental science students to grow and maintain the campus garden, process harvested food, and advance long-term sustainability efforts.
  • Twin Echo Elementary (Collinsville, IL) – Provide access to IXL, an online program offering standards-aligned practice across all subjects to help students strengthen academic skills in both the classroom and at home, benefiting two classrooms at the school.
  • Roxana High School (Roxana, IL) – Supports the Best Buddies program which fosters inclusion, meaningful friendships, and leadership opportunities for students of all abilities.
  • Our Lady Queen of Peace (Bethalto, IL) – Supplies new P.E. equipment to enhance student physical fitness, encourage collaboration, and replace outdated or worn materials for all age groups.
  • Wingate Elementary School (Shiloh, IL) – Enhances a self-contained classroom with sensory and seating support that help students maintain attention, reduce overload, and participate successfully in academic and social activities.
  • Triad Middle School (St. Jacob, IL) – Supplies updated and engaging reading materials for middle school literature circles, enhancing engagement and targeted learning in English Language Arts.
  • Albert Cassens Elementary School (Glen Carbon, IL) – Establishes the “Cassens Little Free Library” to promote literacy, student engagement, and civic responsibility.
  • Notre Dame High School (St. Louis, MO) – Equips the Specialized Learning Department with technology needed to administer standardized and classroom assessments with accommodations. This ensures equitable access, academic integrity, and compliance with testing requirements.
  • Ferguson Middle School (Ferguson, MO) – Provides hygiene products and uniforms to students through a school-based closet, ensuring access to essential items for health, confidence, and participation.
  • Waterloo Junior High School (Waterloo, IL) – Provide adaptive physical education equipment, including a bowling ramp and adaptive tricycle to support skill development, fitness, and participation for students with special needs.
  • Triad Middle School (St. Jacob, IL) – Enhance literature circle experiences by supplying high-interest books and comfortable seating to engage students in reading.
  • Holy Cross Lutheran (Collinsville, IL) – Supports a student production of “The Lion King,” providing funds for licensing, costumes, and sets to engage 3rd-8th grade students in performing arts.
  • Kipp Triumph Academy (St. Louis, MO) – Empower young Black boys through a mentorship program that fosters personal growth, leadership, and social-emotional development using culturally responsive guidance and community- based activities.
  • Granite City High School (Granite City, IL) – Upgrade and expand survey equipment for high school Geometry and Applied Math classes, enabling students to apply right triangle trigonometry with accurate, hands-on measurement tools.
  • Mascoutah School District 19; Scott Elementary School, Mascoutah Elementary School, and Wingate Elementary School (Mascoutah, IL) – Equips playgrounds with accessible communication boards, enabling students with communication challenges to engage fully with peers and adults during outdoor activities.
  • Roxana Senior High School (Roxana, IL) – Supply durable headphones for ELA classrooms, enabling all students to access audio-based learning and foster equitable participation in literacy activities.
  • Edgar Road Elementary School (Webster Groves, MO) – Install an ADA-accessible playground to provide an inclusive play space that supports physical, social, cognitive, and emotional development for all students, including those with disabilities.
  • North County Christian School (Florissant, MO) – Expands STEAM programs to provide hands-on learning in robotics, music, and other enrichment areas. These programs encourage critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and prepare students for continued education and future careers.
  • St. Jacob Elementary School (St. Jacob, IL) – Provides a bulletin board and display strips to showcase student artwork and projects, promoting recognition, engagement, and a vibrant, welcoming environment throughout the school.
  • Logos School (St. Louis, MO) – Enable student participation in after-school athletics and field trips by funding activity fees and transportation, ensuring access regardless of economic barriers.
  • Edgar Road Elementary (Webster Groves, MO) – Enhances the school library with diverse titles and functional learning areas. It also provides literacy programming to give students opportunities for reading, exploration, and academic growth.
  • Avery Elementary (Webster Groves, MO) – Equips the school with accessible cafeteria tables and furniture, promoting accessibility and equal opportunities for all students during meals and social activities.
  • Highland Primary School (Highland, IL) – Supplies skill-specific decodable books for Kindergarten students, supporting early readers in developing strong literacy foundations through targeted practice.
  • Nelson Elementary School (Edwardsville, IL) – Establishes a multilingual learning library for PreK-2 students. This provides books in students’ home languages to support literacy development and strengthen English reading skills.
  • Collinsville High School (Collinsville, IL) – Provides classroom incentives to motivate students in credit recovery. This project encourages academic effort, confidence, and grows skills needed to graduation and beyond.
  • Edward A. Fulton Jr. High School (O’Fallon, IL) – Equips science classes with microscopes, allowing students to engage in hands-on learning, practice observation skills, and improve understanding of living organisms across multiple grade levels.
  • Lutheran High School South (St. Louis, MO) – Expand and strengthen the Lancer Intramural League to promote inclusion, leadership, and school spirit across grade levels. Funding provides new branded house shirts, updated equipment for the league, awards, and materials for special events to unify the school community.
  • Marissa Junior Senior High (Marissa, IL) – Provide students with the opportunity to design, build, and race cardboard boats. This activity applies STEAM learning while also building teamwork, problem-solving skills, and creating hands-on learning experiences.
  • St. Teresa Catholic School (Belleville, IL) – Providing new uniforms for 7th and 8th grade team, ensuring proper fit and comfort for all athletes, promoting confidence, school pride, and an equal opportunity to compete.
  • Edwardsville District 7: Woodland, Worden, Cassens, and Columbus Elementary Schools (Edwardsville, IL) – Expands “Think-a-Thon” mornings across all Edwardsville elementary schools by empowering fifth-grade students to lead interactive STEM and logic activities for younger peers, promoting leadership, collaboration, and engaging educational experiences.
  • Roxana High School (Roxana, IL) – Supplies reusable Anatomy in Clay kits to support interactive learning, deepen comprehension of human anatomy, and prepare students for advanced science and healthcare courses.
  • Belleville School District 118 (Belleville, IL) – Funding to support respite care and structured social programs for families impacted by autism. This program promotes inclusion, mental healthcare, and community connection.
  • Edwardsville High School (Edwardsville, IL) – Provides a classroom library, scanner for check-out, and a mobile book cart to support multilingual English learners.
  • Belle Valley School (Belleville, IL) – Provides hands-on STEM experiences through engineering and maker challenges, allowing students to build solar cars, create marble runs, and design prototypes while practicing problem-solving, teamwork, and critical thinking.
  • Rohan Woods School (St. Louis, MO) – Provides K–2 students with access to PebbleGo, a safe, structured digital research platform that supports inquiry, literacy, and project-based learning while encouraging independent, thoughtful, and digitally literate learners.

We greatly appreciate all of the schools who submitted applications in 2025. All applications received were for very worthy causes. If you were not selected as a recipient in 2025, we encourage you to apply again in 2026.

With You Program Applications

Does your local educational project need some financial or volunteer support?

Are you looking for ways to help local schools fund innovative programs?

Learn more about the SCU Community Foundation With You Program by contacting our grant program coordinator. Applications are typically accepted starting in October each year.

Contact Program Coordinator
SCU Members Support Credit Union's Foundation Efforts
WITH YOUR EVERYDAY SCU DEBIT CARD PURCHASES

Through SCU’s Blues Checking and EPIC Checking accounts, members can support the SCU Community Foundation by simply using their debit card like they normally would. With every debit card purchase, SCU will support the community through a donation to the SCU Community Foundation.

We’re excited to provide our members with the opportunity to support our communities. Every year we donate 5% of Blues and Epic interchange income from purchases for the year. Over $100k is donated annually. For more about Blues Checking and EPIC Checking, click here.

Apply for EPIC Checking
Apply for Blues Checking

Request Scott Credit Union Event Support

GET THE HELP YOU NEED

Scott Credit Union is always looking for new ways to give back to the community. If your group, organization, or event needs support, please contact the Scott Credit Union Community Relations team at (618) 345-1000. Please submit an event request to our Community Relations Team via our online request form . Please note that community involvement requests should be sent four weeks prior to your event. We thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding.

Request Event Support

*The SCU Community Foundation is an entity that is completely separate from Scott Credit Union. Proceeds raised by the SCU Community Foundation are donated back into our local communities.