Currency Exchange Back-to-School Drive 2009

The Community Currency Exchange Association of Illinois and its 525 Chicagoland Currency Exchanges are conducting their annual Back 2 School drive in partnership with the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago through August 15th. The drive, now in its fifth year, benefited more than 1,800 needy YMCA children and their families in 2008.

New this year, the Back 2 School campaign will accept donations on line at www.mycurrencyexchange.com.

“With the difficult economy and budgets of both families and school districts strapped to the limits, the Back 2 School campaign has taken on even greater importance. The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago (YMCA) has always made education a priority. We are fortunate to have partnered with the Chicagoland Currency Exchanges to build a program that continues to have a very real and positive effect and give students the tools they need to go back to school each year,” said Mark McKelvey, Senior Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations for the YMCA.

 “We’ve set an ambitious goal for ourselves - to double the number of students and families we help this year. We recognize that we have a responsibility to contribute to communities everywhere in which we serve. We understand that at this critical time in our state’s history, now more than ever, we must actively work to help out those that desperately need it “ said John Iberl, President of the Association.

The commitment to helping Illinois residents in their pursuit of education is nothing new to Currency Exchanges. For the past 20 years they have participated in a scholarship program run by the Financial Service Centers of America (FISCA), which is the national Association that represents the 7500 neighborhood check cashing and financial service centers throughout the country. Additionally, Currency Exchanges have a long history of supporting fire safety education in communities as well. (either additionally or as well – both are redundant)

Legoland Discovery Center and ICE prepaid debit cards have joined returning sponsors Kits for Kidz and Western Union to support this year’s efforts.

The Community Currency Exchange Association of Illinois was formed in 1937. The Association oversees the marketing, advertising and community outreach programs for the state’s 535 Currency Exchanges.  Through the years, the Association has worked to provide a variety of business, government and financial services to the citizens of Illinois.

Through its 65 locations and more than 100 extension sites, the YMCA helps children learn and grow, teaches young people to lead, brings families closer, and encourages individual health and well-being. The fourth largest non-profit in Chicago and one of the largest human services organizations in the nation, YMCA programs impact hundreds of thousands of lives annually, helping to strengthen neighborhoods and respond to community needs across Chicagoland. To learn more about the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, visit www.ymcachgo.org.