PACU Foundation Concludes Mission with Final Gifts to Area Charities

~More than $250,000 raised since 2020 leaves a lasting impact across central North Carolina~

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., July 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- After five years of supporting charities across central North Carolina, the PACU Foundation has officially concluded its operations with one final act of generosity.

As Piedmont Advantage Credit Union moves forward with its pending merger with Truliant Federal Credit Union, the PACU Foundation, its charitable affiliate, has closed by distributing its remaining funds among its recently supported organizations.

 The following seven charities each received $10,011:

• Education Over Debt Foundation, providing scholarships to African American high school students in Mecklenburg County pursuing higher education and supporting undocumented high school students of color seeking citizenship and educational opportunities.
• Help, Incorporated's Square One Family Justice Center, helping survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, elder abuse and human trafficking achieve safety and financial stability through comprehensive services in Rockingham County.
• Mooresville Area Christian Mission, addressing intergenerational poverty through crisis assistance, case management and educational programming for families in Iredell County.
• A Storehouse for Jesus, a volunteer-led ministry serving Davie County and surrounding communities by providing food, clothing, household essentials and medical assistance to individuals facing financial hardship, illness, domestic violence and homelessness.
• Winston-Salem Rescue Mission, providing Christian-based recovery programs for men while offering food, clothing, medical and dental care to families.
• Winston-Salem Street School, a private alternative high school that helps at-risk students earn a high school diploma through a holistic approach that strengthens them academically, socially, physically and spiritually.
• The Women's Resource Center of Greensboro, promoting women's self-reliance through individualized needs assessments, resource coordination and access to essential community resources.

Founded in 2020, the PACU Foundation raised $250,894 through the generosity of Piedmont Advantage members, its employees, businesses and community supporters. Those funds increased the capacity of charities across central North Carolina to provide financial assistance, education opportunities, and other essential services for individuals and families overcoming financial hardship.

"This final chapter is bittersweet, but it's also incredibly meaningful," said Jean Golden-Rumer, President of the PACU Foundation. "Five years ago, we set out with a simple belief that when a community comes together, lives can change. Thanks to the generosity and support of so many people, that's exactly what happened."

The Foundation's final gifts were made possible in part by the record-breaking success of its final Flying Colors Charity 5K and Fun Run, which raised $54,754, including a $27,377 matching contribution from Truliant.

"The PACU Foundation has always reflected the very best of who we are as a credit union," said Dion Williams, President & CEO of Piedmont Advantage. "Its purpose was never simply to make donations. It was to invest in organizations that strengthen our communities and improve lives every day."

Golden-Rumer added, "Although the PACU Foundation's work has ended, the lives it touched and the organizations it supported will continue to reflect the credit union philosophy of people helping people for years to come."

About PACU Foundation
A 501(c)(3) charitable organization, the PACU Foundation advanced charitable giving to support access to financial literacy, education and training, and disaster and emergency assistance for residents overcoming financial hardship throughout the Triad and Charlotte communities.

About Piedmont Advantage Credit Union
Headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C., Piedmont Advantage Credit Union is a not-for-profit, cooperative financial institution with six branches and 11 ATMs. Founded in 1949, PACU serves nearly 28,000 members across six counties in central North Carolina. A proposed merger with Truliant Federal Credit Union has received regulatory approval to proceed with presenting this proposal to PACU membership for a vote, which is currently underway. Additional details about this pending merger can be found at www.pacu.com/strongertogether.

SOURCE Piedmont Advantage Credit Union