RALEIGH, N.C., Dec. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SECU Foundation has announced a $300,000 grant to the North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) Foundation to help expand its Artist Innovation Mentorship (AIM) program for middle school youth in rural and underserved areas of North Carolina. With the expansion, the AIM program can reach 1,200 youth annually and by 2028 can serve 50 counties.
Established as a pilot in 2021, AIM connects local artists from universities, community colleges, fellowships, and art organizations with students to provide positive role models and foster creative thinking strategies through artmaking. The students’ work is featured in local community galleries, parades, and exhibitions. In the pilot phase, more than 350 students received over 12,700 hours of learning through the program.
“We are pleased to support the expansion of the Artist Innovation Mentorship program and the work that is benefiting so many of our North Carolina youth,” said SECU Foundation Executive Director Jama Campbell. “This program is another example of NCMA’s outstanding art education outreach and speaks to the broader impact this program can make in school districts and communities that have limited resources for arts education. We look forward to seeing the continued positive impact of art on students’ lives.”
“It is an honor for the North Carolina Museum of Art and our Artist Innovation Mentorship program to have a place among the other incredible projects the SECU Foundation funds, and that vote of confidence in the work we are doing is greatly appreciated,” said NCMA Director and CEO Dr. Valerie Hillings. “We are incredibly thankful to have SECU Foundation’s support and are excited to put grant funds to work bringing AIM to more communities across North Carolina.”
About SECU and SECU Foundation
A not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members, and federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), SECU has been providing employees of the state of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for 87 years. SECU is the second largest credit union in the United States with $57 billion in assets. It serves more than 2.8 million members through 275 branch offices, over 1,100 ATMs, Member Services Support via phone, www.ncsecu.org, and the SECU Mobile App. The SECU Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization funded by the contributions of SECU members, promotes local community development in North Carolina primarily through high-impact projects in the areas of housing, education, healthcare, and human services. Since 2004, SECU Foundation has made a collective financial commitment of over $300 million for initiatives to benefit North Carolinians statewide.
Contact: Jama Campbell, Executive Director, [email protected]
Holding the check left to right are SECU Foundation Executive Director Jama Campbell, NCMA Director Valerie Hillings, and NCMA Director of Outreach and Audience Engagement Angela Lombardi surrounded by SECU Foundation and NCMA Board and staff.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f971fc3c-b455-4445-bdbf-a08dd3682511
