Sounding Joy announces a charitable gift of $12,500 from the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation. The funds will be used for the purchase of hearing aids for children in the Tampa Bay area. Sounding Joy serves hearing-impaired children under 18 years of age who cannot afford hearing aids. There are 1,845 to 2,767 children in Tampa Bay who are hearing impaired. Over 24% come from Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed (ALICE) families who do not qualify for free hearing aids and medical insurance considers them “elective,” resulting in 437-655 Tampa Bay children who need our help.
“We are absolutely thrilled to have the support of Suncoast Credit Union Foundation. With this generous grant, we can buy up to 13 hearing aids for our “Kiddos” in need which will reduce addiction and suicide,” expressed Christy Vogel, Founder and Executive Director of Sounding Joy.
Suncoast Credit Union, Florida’s largest credit union, founded the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation to promote the education, health and emotional well-being of children in the community. Each time a Suncoast member uses their debit or credit card, the credit union donates two cents to the Foundation to fund local initiatives. Since its inception in 1990, the Foundation has raised and donated over $45 million.
“We are honored to support Sounding Joy in their mission to provide hearing aids to children in the Tampa Bay area. With so many families facing financial challenges, it’s crucial that we ensure every child has the opportunity to hear the world around them,” said Kourtney Berry, Executive Director, Suncoast Credit Union Foundation. “We are committed to helping make that a reality for these young individuals.”
Sounding Joy provides hearing aids to children whose families can’t afford them so they can reach their full potential. Hearing aids reduce the chance of a child becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol as well as reducing suicide attempts as a young adult.
Sounding Joy’s founder, Christy Vogel needed hearing aids as a child and didn’t get them until she was 27 years old because insurance didn’t cover them. Insurance rarely covers them now. A pair of hearing aids are about $7,000 and families need help to provide them for their children.
About Suncoast Credit Union
Suncoast Credit Union is the largest credit union in the state of Florida, the 8th largest in the United States based on membership, and the 10th largest in the United States based on its $18.5 billion in assets. Chartered in 1934 as Hillsborough County Teachers Credit Union, Suncoast Credit Union currently operates 78 full-service branches and serves more than 1.2 million members across Florida. As a community credit union, anyone who lives, works, attends school, or worships in Suncoast Credit Union’s service area is eligible for membership. In 2021, Suncoast Credit Union’s field of membership was expanded to include public K-12 teachers, college educators, and educational support staff from all of Florida’s 67 counties. Suncoast is passionate about community support. Since its founding in 1990, the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation has raised and donated more than $45 million to organizations and initiatives that support the health, education, and emotional well-being of children in the communities that the credit union serves. For more information, visit suncoast.com or follow us on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
