Press Release

(Pictured above from L to R: First Financial’s President/CEO, VP of Marketing and Business Development at First Financial, Grant Recipient Desire’e LoVoi, and First Financial’s AVP of Business Development).

FREEHOLD, N.J. – Land O Pines Elementary School teacher, Desire’e LoVoi, was surprised by members of the First Financial Foundation with an Erma Dorrer classroom grant for the 2018-2019 school year. Land O Pines School is part of the Howell Township K-8 School District.

LoVoi submitted a grant application via YouTube video, to purchase equipment for a new Book/S.T.E.A.M. Room for Pre-K through 2^nd grade students at the school. S.T.E.A.M. stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. The creative video showcased some of Mrs. LoVoi’s students and how they would benefit from the updated book room.

The YouTube video can be viewed here.

(Pictured above: Land O Pines Principal Suarez with Grant Recipient Desire’e LoVoi).

Since First Financial began with a group of Asbury Park schoolteachers back in 1936, the credit union has not forgotten its educational roots. That is why its Foundation offered current Monmouth and Ocean County educators six (6) classroom grants to use at their schools for the 2018-2019 school year.

“Education has and always will be a pivotal piece of our organization, and we’re delighted to be able to help our local educators enhance their classroom experience,” noted First Financial President & CEO, Issa Stephan.

Stephan also noted that the Foundation committee had a tough job of choosing just six winning teachers out of the numerous applications received this year. “We received dozens of heart warming essays from educators hoping to use the grant money to implement or maintain a variety of creative programs in their schools such as flexible seating, virtual reality glasses, book stands and shelving, new classroom cabinets, and interactive books and games – to name a few,” said Stephan. “We wish we were able to reward each and every one of our participants, and after extremely careful consideration we selected the six classrooms in which we felt the grant money would have the largest impact.”