LAND OF LINCOLN CREDIT UNION MAKES DONATION TO CCYC
Land of Lincoln Credit Union
618-533-1233
234 N. Poplar St., Centralia, IL
Centralia Community Youth Center
618-532-6530
1224 E. Rexford St., Centralia, IL
https://centraliayouthcenter.com/
Land of Lincoln Credit Union recently made company-wide donations to non-profits in the communities of its branch locations, with the Centralia branch donating to the Centralia Community Youth Center.
Makaylia Atkins of Centralia’s LLCU said her branch donated nearly $1,200 to the CCYC, which was selected at the beginning of 2025 as the next recipient of the annual donation.
“We continue to see the impact they have on the community, whether its working with local students, tutoring, the after-school programs, or even things that go beyond the classroom,” said Atkins. “We definitely want to help that initiative.”
Atkins said that each donation is comprised of funds collected by the employees of the individual branches throughout the year.
“Each branch can designate money out of their payroll to go to that charity. We also have boxes in the branch if our members want to donate,” Atkins explained. “Some branches will also do initiatives throughout the year, things like bake sales. One of the best parts is that the company will match whatever we are able to put together.”
Cathy O’ Neal-Windom, who accepted the donation from Atkins last month on behalf of the CCYC, said a majority of the funds would be allocated to the center’s youth-based initiatives, such as the After School Program. O’Neal-Windom said other uses include providing clothing and necessities for the children, maintaining the building, and ensuring the center’s services never come at a cost.
“All of the kids can come here come for free. That’s really important,” said O’Neal-Windom. “We want to make sure that everything they do here is free.”
LLCU donated a total of $15,000 across all ten of its participating locations.
The other nine non-profits that received donations were DOVE, INC. in Decatur, Fear Nothing in Effingham, Ronald McDonald House of Charities in Springfield, Coles County Animal Shelter in Mattoon, Humane Society of Central Illinois in Bloomington, Fayette County Shop With a Cop in Vandalia, Loving Arms Pregnancy Center in Pana, Colchester Lions Club in Colchester, and Nokomis Christian Missions in Nokomis.
