Linda Hoover, CEO and president of Educators Credit Union and Bobby Portis of the Milwaukee Bucks/Photo Credit Educators Credit Union
Racine, Wis. – Educators Credit Union has announced a partnership with local professional basketball player and NBA champion, Bobby Portis. Portis and Educators have partnered to provide free financial educational tools, programs and community support for residents of southeastern Wisconsin. Educators offers a digital academy, scholarships for students, webinars and workshops, financial tools, calculators, and a variety of educational resources all designed to help the local community learn more about their finances and how to reach their financial goals. Additionally, custom debit cards featuring Portis will be unveiled in the coming months which will be available to all of Educators’ members.
“We are excited to partner with Bobby, who is a gifted athlete and has a heart of generosity,” said Linda Hoover, CEO and president of Educators Credit Union. “Educators Credit Union is about supporting our members and giving back to local communities, and we couldn’t think of a better partner to help tell our story than Bobby Portis.”
For Portis, this partnership is a natural fit and a reflection of his fierce commitment to making a difference in local communities. An NBA Champion and dubbed the unofficial “Mayor of Milwaukee,” Portis spent his first 6 seasons with three different NBA teams before finding a home in Milwaukee. Since then, he has become a passionate supporter of his community and works tirelessly to give back to the community whenever and wherever possible. In addition to his foundation, which specializes in programming and initiatives to support single mothers and their families, Bobby has also partnered with Feeding America to fight food insecurity in Milwaukee; hosts ongoing group conversations to share his story while creating a safe environment for individuals to discuss issues that they might be going through; and works with Mentor MKE to promote mentorship throughout the community.’
“Giving back to the local community is everything to me, and it’s everything to Educators Credit Union,” said Portis. “It fuels me, and it fuels Educators, it’s in our DNA. We understand that the people are the purpose, not the profits.”
Growing up in a single-mother household with three younger brothers, Portis and his family moved 18 times by the time he finished high school. But as Bobby saw first-hand from his mom, who would wake up at 3 a.m. for her daily bread truck route and still find time to take her kids to practice and help with homework, with hard work and dedication, anything can be accomplished. Portis credits his mom for instilling humility and the work ethic he has today. She also inspired him to create the Bobby Portis Foundation, specializing in programming and initiatives to support single mothers and their families. His story and motivation to give back to the community aligns perfectly with Educators’ mission.
As a cooperative, Educators is only as strong as the communities it serves. Educators believes in helping support local communities. Throughout the past three years, Educators has donated more than $1.8 million dollars to charitable organizations across Wisconsin. Annually, Educators provides free financial literacy to over 25,000 students in southeastern Wisconsin, and each year Educators gives $70,000 in scholarships to students heading off to college.
“The support that people throughout Wisconsin have given me means the world, so it was important that I partner with an organization that supports them,” said Portis. “Educators Credit Union’s mission to serve its members and help them reach their financial goals is a purpose I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of.”
About Educators Credit Union
Educators Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial institution that was founded by teachers in 1937. Today, Educators members are students, government workers, healthcare employees, small business owners and many other community members. Educators Credit Union has 23 branch locations in southeastern Wisconsin, a network of 60,000 fee-free ATMs and over 225,000 members in its 11-county service area: Dane, Green, Jefferson, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Rock, Walworth, Washington, and Waukesha counties. Educators Credit Union is dedicated to consistently building relationships, providing affordable financial products, and helping members achieve their financial goals. For more information, visit ecu.com.