BATON ROUGE, LA (July 29, 2020) — Neighbors contributed a combined $68,340.30 to 15 participating schools during the 2019-2020 school year. The funds came from NFCU’s Mascot Checking Program. The Mascot Checking Program invites high schools within the Greater Baton Rouge area to participate by allowing Neighbors to create a custom checking account for the school.

Mascot Schools have now earned a total of $163,556 since the Mascot Checking program launched in 2014. Walker High School earned the most contributions from the Mascot Checking Program this year with $15,402 followed by Denham Springs High School with $10,508 and McKinley with $10,364.

These checking accounts come with a school-branded debit card and Neighbors contributes money to the school for each debit card swipe. After the school has 100 active Mascot Checking accounts, the school earns ten cents per swipe, and the schools earn five cents per swipe before the first 100 active accounts.

“Because of how this product is designed, there really is no limit to what we can provide for schools,” Neighbors President and CEO Steve Webb said. “We’ve seen schools start drone programs, furnish new computers and provide essential materials over the years. We look forward to seeing schools continue to innovate education with these funds.”

In addition to receiving contributions generated from the checking account program, the participating schools are invited to annually select a graduating student to receive a Neighbors Way Scholarship. Thus far, the foundation has awarded $95,000 in scholarships.

The third and final component of the Mascot Program is providing complimentary financial education to the students. Neighbors FCU’s financial literacy coordinator makes regular appearances to each school, and Neighbors provides financial literacy curriculum to the schools free of charge. Neighbors also has financial literacy centers at Walker High School and Denham Springs High School.

Schools participating in the Mascot program include:

• Parkview Baptist School

• The Dunham School

• Baker High School

• Baton Rouge Magnet High School

• Broadmoor High School

• Central High School

• Denham Springs High School

• Lee High School, Live Oak High School

• McKinley High School

• Port Allen High School

• Scotlandville High School

• Southern University Laboratory School

• Walker High School

• Woodlawn High School

You can learn more about Neighbors Mascot Checking Program at https://www.neighborsfcu.org/personal/checking-account/mascot-checking/.