Endwell, NY – Over the summer, one hundred educators each received $1,000 from Visions Federal Credit Union to help reduce their student loan debt. The cash awards, known as the Student Loan Eraser, are a more recent addition to Visions Loves Educators, a program created by Visions in 2018 to support educators in and out of the classroom.
Since its inception, Visions Loves Educators has included exclusive account bonuses for qualifying educators and a Classroom Funding Program, which provides grant opportunities for classroom projects. In the last two years, the program has expanded to include the Student Loan Eraser and Educator of the Year awards.
Visions' Marketing Program Administrator, Lindsay Knaul oversees Visions Loves Educators initiatives. She said, "Through countless conversations with educators, we learned that the cost of attaining college degrees required by their profession is rarely balanced by their starting salaries. Often it leads to student debt that strains their financial well-being. We created the Student Loan Eraser to offer relief."
When the Student Loan Eraser program began, it was limited to 20 recipients, which Visions increased to 100 in 2023. "For many of these educators, an extra thousand dollars could relieve months of their student loan payments," Knaul said. "That's the impact we love to make with our programs and why we increased our commitment to educators this year."
In 2022, Visions contributed more than half a million dollars to support education initiatives, with the Visions Loves Educators program accounting for nearly $200,000 of that total. With financial wellness programs in more than 12 school districts and partnering with numerous colleges and universities, Visions continues to increase their support for schools, faculty, and students at all levels throughout their footprint in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
About Visions Federal Credit Union
Visions Federal Credit Union is a not for profit financial institution completely owned by its members. Established in 1966, Visions proudly serves over 250,000 members in communities throughout New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Services include banking as well as auto, home, personal, and business loans.
