Sunday Family Brunch- The Family That Eats Together Stays Together

Churches Co-operative Credit Union has teamed up with the Knutsford Court Hotel to host a series of end of month brunches featuring entertainment and great food."The Family That Eats Together Stays Together" is a Sunday family brunch that invites all families to come out on the last Sunday of each month to have a grand feast (buffet style) at the Knutsford Court Hotel.

This brunch will also seek to get families to support the CCCU Toy Drive that hopes to distribute toys to less fortunate children islandwide.The Knutsford is now under new management and guarantees great food and great entertainment.

There will be:

• 
  
  CCCU Give-a-wayso Live entertainment including performances from up and coming Gospel artiste Deneese Wright (Finalist in the 2008 JCDC Competition)


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  Story telling for the kids- Kellie Magnus 1:00-2:00pm- Little Lion Goes For Gold


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  Bring a new toy to donate to the CCCU Christmas toy drive

Brunch is $1550 for adults $930 for children 10 and under

(tax & service charge not yet included)

Coffee & Tea complimentary, however cold beverages not included in the above price

Come out the last Sunday of every month as we unite families through brunch

CHURCHES CO-OPERATIVE CREDIT UNION LAUNCHES TOY DRIVE -To Collect Christmas Presents for Less Fortunate Children...

Norman Thompson, Manager of Churches Co-op. Credit Union’s (CCCU) Eureka branch, reads to the students at the St. Stephen's basic school. The basic school is just one of the outreach projects that will benefit from the CCCU’s “Season of Giving” Campaign launched April of this year. The toy drive is one such initiative under the Season of Giving Campaign.

Kingston, Jamaica: August 20, 2009

Continuing its “Season of Giving”, a major social outreach and philanthropic programme, Churches Cooperative Credit Union (CCCU) has launched an islandwide Toy Drive to collect gift items which will serve as Christmas presents for less fortunate children this December.

For the next five months, members of the public are being encouraged to drop off toys at any CCCU branch islandwide and the company will donate the items to children’s homes across the country at the end of the year. Interested persons can bring in new toys as well as used toys in excellent condition.

The Toy Drive is the CCCU’s latest initiative as the organisation continues its “Season of Giving” campaign which was launched in April of this year. Under this programme, the CCCU has been providing support for local charities and churches and carrying out social outreach activities in various communities.

“In spite of the challenging economic climate CCCU has made 2009 a year of giving and we intend to continue right up until December,” said Mrs. Juven Montague Anderson, Marketing & Public Relations Manager at CCCU. “We particularly want to have a meaningful impact on less fortunate children this Christmas so we are starting our Toy Drive from now to give the public ample time to make as many donations as they wish.”

The Toy Drive was announced on the last Sunday of July to coincide with the launch of another CCCU initiative; a series of end of month Family brunches that the financial institution will be hosting in partnership with the Knutsford Court Hotel.

Dubbed “the Family that Eats Together Stays Together Brunch”, the mid-morning events will be held on the last Sunday of every month to provide a place where families can come together for a meal, fellowship and wholesome entertainment. The brunches will feature live entertainment including music, singing and storytelling and patrons will also get chances to win gifts and giveaways from CCCU.



“Our aim is to bring families closer together by creating a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere where people can spend quality time with their relatives and bond over great food, great entertainment and hopefully great conversation,” said Mrs. Montague Anderson.

CCCU’s Sunday Brunch series underscores the advice of numerous psychologists and family therapists who state that families who share meals regularly tend to have stronger relationships and enjoy better communication. The impact is reportedly particularly significant in parent-child relationships as children who eat regularly with their parents tend to be well adjusted, do well in school and are less likely to succumb to negative peer pressure.

The CCCU’s Sunday Brunches will be held on the last Sunday of each month at the Melting Pot Restaurant located at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston.


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CHURCHES CO-OPERATIVE CREDIT UNION GIVES ENTREPRENEURAL AWARDS

Juven Montague Anderson, Marketing & Public Relations Manager, CCCU (2nd right) takes time out to congratulate the awardees of this years CCCU Entrepreneurs Programme, (L-R) Deborah Richards, Daniella Hyde, Nicole Bryson and Rafique Hackshaw. Each group received a $300,000 Grant from CCCU to help start up their business.

Four University Students to Start Their Own Businesses after Receiving $300,000 Grants


Kingston, Jamaica: June 24 2009
Four up-and-coming entrepreneurs from local tertiary institutions are now on their way to becoming full fledged business owners thanks to Churches Cooperative Credit Union (CCCU). The financial institution awarded grants valued at $300,000 to outstanding business students earlier this week when the winners of the 2009 Churches Co-operative Credit Union Entrepreneurs’ Awards were announced.

Daniella Hyde of the University of Technology, Deborah Richards of the University of the West Indies and partners Nicole Bryson and Rafique Hackshaw of the Northern Caribbean University have all received start up capital to launch their business ventures. In addition, if the students require further funding to get their businesses up and running they will be able to access business loans from CCCU at competitive rates.

Launched in 2006, the CCU’s Entrepreneurs’ Awards scheme was devised to encourage entrepreneurship among young persons as a means of facilitating economic development in Jamaica. Awards are given to a student or group from each of the participating campus who submits the most feasible and comprehensive business plan for a small business enterprise. The participating campuses are the University of the West Indies, the University of Technology and the Northern Caribbean University.

To be eligible for entry, a student must be in their final year of studying, must have at least a B average after two years of study and must intend to go into business after graduating. In addition to their written submissions, applicants were also judge on the passion and enthusiasm they exhibited for their business ideas during an interactive session with a panel of assessors.

CCCU’s support for the winners will go beyond the financial contribution of $300,000. The Credit Union will also be providing a mentor for each of the awardees. The mentors, who will be members of CCCU’s staff who have experience in business management, will support the new enterprises through the often precarious incubator period to increase the chances of success.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, which was held recently at the Knutsford Court Hotel CCCU’s General Manager, Mr. Basil Naar said, “Churches Cooperative Credit Union believes that the nation’s economic future lies in the hands of those who are inclined to engage in business enterprises and our involvement in encouraging entrepreneurism is an integral part of our modus operandi.”

Mr. Naar also announced his company’s intention to expand the scope of its Entrepreneurs’ Awards Programme in the future. “In the ensuing years, we will continue to enhance the programme and for the next year we will be providing funding, not only as a lender to the entrepreneur but also as a venture capital investor, thus becoming a partner in the enterprise,” he added.

The winners of the 2009 Churches Co-operative Credit Union Entrepreneurs’ Awards will be starting their new business ventures within the next six months.


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A member of the Winans family coming to Jamaica to perform live at the Churches Credit Union Fymi ’09 Gospel Event

For Immediate Press Release


Kingston Jamaica:Wednesday May 28, 2009
Inspired 2 Praise Youth Ministries Limited will be launching a Christian production aimed at reaching and motivating a mass audience with the importance of living purpose-filled and purpose-driven lives. This production will also reinforce the collective power of youth determined to positively affect the lives of their counterparts for a better Jamaica.

Living purpose-filled lives provides: meaning in life, focus in life and motivation in life (Rick Warren, Purpose-driven Life)

Fulfill Your Mandate In 2009 (Fymi ’09) is designed to change the lives of street children in Jamaica in a real and meaningful way. Part proceeds from this event will go towards assisting street children get an education one child at a time, thereby bringing meaning, focus & motivation to their lives.

Fymi ’09 is a new gospel event experience which comprises a gospel concert (main event), family fun-day, small business expo, fashion show & rap sessions all in one day.

The message of Fymi ’09 is simple: “A life of purpose is a life lived with purpose.”

This event hopes to bring together youth and adults alike across denominational lines, whether Christian or non-Christian, to an event that has been designed to positively impact the lives of all patrons in attendance.

Fymi ’09 will take place at the LIME Golf Academy (formerly Cable & Wireless Golf Academy) on Sunday June 21, 2009 (Father’s Day) between the hours of 11am & 10pm.



Many thousands of people look forward to and attend Jamaica’s two biggest gospel shows: Genesis & Fun in the Son, yet patrons will all agree that while these shows do play a valuable role in uplifting society via positive messages throughout the duration of the shows, events like these occur only once a year. The management of i2P believes that Christian productions are an effective means of positively impacting the lives of youth, and increased interactions with youth through more frequent programmes increases this level of impact.

It was with this view in mind, and an effort to bridge this gap that Fulfill your mandate in 2009 (Fymi ’09) was conceptualised.

Inspired 2 Praise Youth Ministries Limited is committed to youth empowerment. We plan to continuously design programmes aimed at mobilizing youth who have the means and resources to positively affect the lives of their counterparts and by extension disturbing the sluggish tendencies that seems to permeate the walls of society bringing about real change, positive change for the betterment of Jamaica. The time for change is now.

For more information about Fulfill Your Mandate In 2009 (Fymi ’09), see:
www.fymijamaica.org


“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” – Barak Obama


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For more information, please contact President, Pierre-Anthony Wright at (876) 861-4273 or email: pierrewright@yahoo.com

In the face of increasing crimes being committed by and against children, CHURCHES COOPERATIVE CREDIT UNION SPONSORS PARENTING SEMINARS

Kingston, Jamaica: May 18, 2009
As the nation tries to grapple with the increasing number of children who have been the victims or perpetrators of violent crimes, Churches Cooperative Credit Union (CCCU) has joined forces with Youth Opportunities Unlimited to host a series of seminars for parents.

The seminars, which are being held under the theme, “Parenting in a Volatile Society: How to Be Your Child’s Friend While Still Being a Parent”, will provide a forum where parents can get sound advice and coaching on proactively handling many of the serious issues that are currently affecting the country’s youth.

Three seminars will be held in different locations across the island starting on Tuesday May 26 at the Hilton Hotel in Kingston, continuing with a session at the Golf View Hotel in Mandeville on Thursday June 4 and concluding in Montego Bay at the Wexford Hotel on Thursday June 18. Each session will run from 5:00PM to 8:00PM.

The agenda will feature presentations and discussions on three main topics; “Crimes Against Children”, “Staying Current with what Interests your Child” and “Handling Aggression”. The segment on “Crimes Against Children” will be led by representatives from the Bureau of Women’s Affairs and will deal with human trafficking, paedophilia and kidnapping; all of which have become a growing concern for the Jamaican society.

Althea Bailey, a lecturer in Adolescent Health at the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of the West Indies and Beverley Scott, Executive Director of the Family and Parenting Centre will both present on “Staying Current with what Interests your Child”. This segment will examine issues such as music, jargon and places of entertainment with a view to teaching parents how to establish reasonable boundaries while helping their children to be aware of their environment.

Beverley Scott and David Pearson, Head of the Theology at the Jamaica Theological Seminary, will be the presenters for the segment entitled “Being Your Child’s Safety Net – Handling Aggression.” The speakers will help parents to learn how to establish or regain the trust and respect of their children as well as how to communicate with young people in a manner that fosters healthy self-esteem.

Each segment will be facilitated by Parenting Educators and Counselling Consultants from Youth Opportunities Unlimited. The programme will also include question and answer sessions after each presentation.

Juven Montague-Anderson Manager –Marketing & Public Relations of CCCU says that by sponsoring these seminars the company hoping to fill a pressing need in the society as today’s parents are facing unprecedented challenges with raising their children. “We’ve gone from a society where parents were once seen as the ultimate authority to one where parents are


now competing with many influencers for their children’s respect,” She explained. “Many of the
age-old parenting techniques are no longer effective and so we need to learn a new way of doing things.”

Mrs. Montague-Anderson Manager –Marketing & Public Relations states that “Parenting is the most important job that most people will ever do and yet there is so little training available for it and when we look at all of the serious issues that are confronting parents it can get overwhelming but through these seminars we hope to be able to help individuals become better parents.”

In April Churches Co-operative Credit Union launched their “Season of Giving” with a pledge to support local charities and finance social outreach efforts in spite of the harsh economic climate. As part of this effort, the financial institution has already stage a benefit to raise funds for social development programmes at three churches and held a “Feeding Day” for the poor and the indigent in communities surrounding their head office on Eureka Road in Kingston.

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CHURCHES CO-OPERATIVE CREDIT UNION USING SOCIAL MEDIA & DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY FOR CUSTOMER COMMUNICATION

For Immediate Press Release

· Embracing the Digital Revolution...
CHURCHES CO-OPERATIVE CREDIT UNION USING SOCIAL MEDIA & DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY FOR CUSTOMER COMMUNICATION
· Financial Institution uses Twitter, Facebook, blogging & My Space for ‘dialogue’ with clients


Kingston, Jamaica: May 12, 2009
Going beyond traditional customer emails and a static website, Churches Co-operative Credit Union (CCCU) is employing a full suite of innovative technologies for client communication including social networking sites, blogs, text messages and video sharing websites.

The Financial Institution has embraced information technology not only as a vehicle for communicating with its members and the wider public, but also for carrying out its public education programmes and providing information for various stakeholders.

The organisation now boasts its own blogspot, has videos on YouTube and can be found on most of the major social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter and Myspace. Additionally, CCCU has been using text messaging and email to reach its member base and its website will soon serve as a portal for online banking. This multi-faceted approach to communication has helped the company to serve its current membership while attracting additional clients.

“As a cutting edge financial institution we are long pass the stage where a call centre or a printed statement are our main means of communicating with our customers,” Juven Montague-Anderson Manager –Marketing & Public Relations of Churches Credit Union]explained. “We are using new media and all the latest technology to reach both existing and potential customers where they live, work and play.”

For Churches Credit Union, an added advantage of using social networking sites and other web-based media is that the communication flows two ways. In fact CCCU members and the wider public are encouraged to make comments and suggestions on the all their various sites. As a result, rather than just being the latest advertising craze, social media has become a rich source of customer feedback.


“There was a time when you literally had to employ a research firm to get good customer feedback but now the technology allows our customers to speak directly to us which is a significant advantage,” Mrs. Montague-Anderson explained. “The digital age consumer doesn’t want to be dictated to, they want to have dialogue and in recognition of this we have an interactive approach to our communication and we’re always encouraging our members to tell us what’s working and what’s not.”


The approach being employed by CCCU has numerous advantages for the company, its members and even the natural environment. CCCU is able to maintain a fairly direct line of communication with members, and in return, are able to receive accurate, up to the minute information – often regardless of their location – and digital communication reduces paper usage and waste which is good for the environment.

“Digital communication is a win, win solution,” said Quilston Harrison AGM- Retail & Systems at Churches. “We recognise the power of the digital revolution and we adapted early in the game to be able to take full advantage of it.”



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Churches Co-operative Credit Union Ltd. Annual General Meeting

Churches Co-operative Credit Union Ltd. Annual General Meeting

WHERE: Hilton Kingston Hotel, Grand Independence Ballroom
WHEN: Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at 4:00pm-7:00pm

Churches Co-operative Credit Union (CCCU) will be hosting their 35th Annual General Meeting of its members. CCCU will report to the members on its performance over the past years and discuss issues arising whilst circulating information about CCCU’s upcoming events and product launches. The Audited Financial Report will be presented and various reports will be tabled. The members will also get the opportunity to elect and vote for the Board and other Committee positions.