The Greater Kinston Credit Union (GKCU), a non-profit chartered credit union under the laws of the State of North Carolina, is partnering with Lenoir Community College to assist students in financing vehicles through the LCC Cars for College program, a program that was created to help eliminate transportation barriers for attending classes and finding employment.

The Cars for College program was launched after a $250,000 honorarium was gifted by the Z. Smith Reynolds (ZSR) Foundation to commemorate former Trustee John O. McNairy’s 20 years of service to the ZSR Foundation. Its mission is to help low-income working students become more self-sufficient by assisting them with their vehicle transportation needs.

“We are excited and about this partnership with the Greater Kinston Credit Union and we are appreciative of the generous support from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation and John McNairy,” said Dr. Rusty Hunt, president of LCC. “The McNairy family has been a continuous supporter of the College and our students.” 

“Jaimie Spruill, Branch Manager and Chief Executive Officer for the GKCU, has been instrumental in developing the loan component of the Cars for College program, which brings this program together for the recipients,” Hunt said. “This program could not be successful without all our partners and we are looking forward to assisting more students with their transportation challenges.”

The goal of Cars for College is to assure students have access to a safe, legal, affordable, and dependable vehicle to get to college and to work allowing them to create a better future for themselves and their families,” he said.

“Partnering with the Greater Kinston Credit Union is completing the piece we were trying to secure for our students, that of finding affordable financing so they could begin establishing credit without going deep into debt,” Hunt said. 

 “We are proud to partner with the Lenoir Community College Foundation on this program because the mission of the Cars for College program is closely aligned to our mission at Greater Kinston Credit Union,” said Jaimie Spruill, Branch Manager and Chief Executive Officer for the GKCU. “We not only believe in helping the underserved, but we also believe that education is the cornerstone of overall success.”

Any student selected for the program will qualify for a loan with a competitive interest rate.

Jeanne Kennedy, Executive Director of the LCC Foundation agreed that working the Greater Kinston Credit Union was a win for everyone involved. “Students will also receive financial counseling from the GKCU to better understand the importance of their credit score and other financial services.” 

For more information on the Cars for College program or if you would like to donate a vehicle, contact Kennedy at (252) 233-6812 or email jmkennedy48@lenoircc.edu.