DFCU Financial Donates $10,000 to Novi Education Foundation

A new credit union has moved into town, and it came bearing gifts.

At the grand opening of DFCU Financial's Novi branch Thursday, DFCU President & CEO Mark Shobe presented the Novi Education Foundation (NEF) with a check for $10,000.

Shobe said DFCU has focused on supporting education since 2003, and the credit union has since donated more than $600,000 to public schools in Michigan.

"We think public education makes a huge difference in people's lives, so we're going to continue to focus on that moving forward," Shobe said.

NEF Executive Director Bob Schram was at the new branch on 10 Mile and Haggerty roads to receive the check and thank the credit union for their support.

The NEF is a non-profit organization founded in 1986 and governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees.

"[The NEF] supports the Novi schools and helps them do the extra things that schools aren't able to do," Schram said. "Back in 1986, school's had a lot of money — that's not true anymore. So it's even more important now."

Novi Superintendent Dr. Steve Matthews was also at the event to receive the donation and said part of the money will go toward helping fund the district's program, which is a K-6 program that teaches students the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

"It will really help those students learn how to be reflective on their own lives, how to take control of their lives and absorb into the citizens that we want them to be," Matthews said.