Hanscom AFB, MA (April 25, 2018) – Hanscom FCU and the Armed Forces Financial Network (AFFN) joined together recently to donate $1000 worth of gift cards to families of hospitalized U.S. veterans.

The $50 gift cards were delivered to Fisher House Boston, a 20-unit facility located on the West Roxbury campus of the VA Boston Healthcare System. Fisher House provides no-cost accommodation for families caring for loved ones at VA hospitals around the world.

“These cards are small tokens of our appreciation for the sacrifices these families have made for our country,” said Hanscom FCU Chairman of the Board Paul Marotta. “The cards will help these families pay for food, gas, and personal expenses as they care for their loved ones during a difficult time. We hope these cards make their lives a little easier.”

Hanscom FCU has a long history of supporting Fisher House, visiting quarterly to cook dinner for guests with Mr. Marotta frequently leading the team of volunteers. “During our visits, we’ve been able to see how much a $50 gift card means to someone who is dealing with a lot of stress and anxiety,” he said. “We want these families to be able to focus on helping their loved ones heal and return home.”

Since 1991, the Fisher House Foundation has donated 67 “comfort homes,” built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers in the United States and overseas. The foundation has served over 250,000 families, saving them more than $282 million in lodging and transportation costs.

About Hanscom FCU

Hanscom Federal Credit Union, headquartered at Hanscom Air Force Base, serves over 81,000 members across the country and overseas through 20 branches, over 100,000 service centers and surcharge-free ATMs, 24-hour telephone service and a web-based branch. The credit union holds over $1.2 billion in assets.

About AFFN

AFFN was founded in 1985 at the request of the U.S. Army in support of the "Surepay" direct deposit system, to provide U.S. Military personnel (active, reserve, dependents, and retired) with access to their funds through ATM and POS terminals at or near U.S. Military bases worldwide. AFFN's mission is to increase the versatility of participating financial institutions to better serve the U.S. Military.  AFFN is co-owned by AMBA and DCUC.

Photo: From left to right: David Sprague, President/CEO, Hanscom FCU; Paul Marotta, Chairman of the Board, Hanscom FCU; Elizabeth St. Pierre, Manager, Fisher House Boston; Sheryl Berglund, Human Resources Manager, Hanscom FCU; and David Minker, Senior Vice President/Chief Information Officer, Hanscom FCU.