‘There’s no place like home’

TEXAS CITY – Jeanette Caligone, of Hitchcock, was ready to come back “home.”
 
In 2017, Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc in the Greater Houston-Galveston area, and Caligone, whose car was financed through AMOCO Federal Credit Union, found herself in a terrible predicament when her car was flooded during the storm.
 
Her car insurance paid off the vehicle’s value; however, it didn’t cover the vehicle’s loan balance. Unfortunately, along with life circumstances, Caligone had fallen behind on payments, ultimately leading to the account being closed, she said.
 
Then one Sunday at her church, representatives from AMOCO’s Financial Enhancement Uplifting Program spoke about how the credit union was offering a new program, which eventually led her back to AMOCO, she said.
 
“The presentation that the representatives from AMOCO shared with our congregation on that day was one of hope and reassurance,” Caligone said. “After that, I was ready to come back home to AMOCO, and I’m glad I did.”
 
AMOCO’s Financial Enhancement Uplifting Program is designed to help the underserved and provides loans to help build credit and to get members on the right track financially, Vice President of Technology Services, Mike Payne, said.
 
With help from Payne, and IS&T Service Delivery Manager, Cleveland Lane Sr., who, after looking into her circumstances, were able to get donations to pay off her delinquent account, Caligone was able to reopen her account with AMOCO and was welcomed back with open arms, Lane said.
 
“Our goal is to help anyone we can in our underserved community,” Lane said. “It’s our goal to provide this service whenever possible to help break the vicious payday loan cycles that have caused many people in our community to pay unfair interest rates to borrow money.”
 
So, on March 3, Caligone deposited $500 into her new account. Her financial goal is to save enough money to purchase a car to take her mother to church on Sundays, she said.
 
“I’m so proud to once again be a member of AMOCO,” Caligone said. "I thank each and every person that had a hand in making sure that I was taken care of. There’s no place like home; that’s what AMOCO is to me.”


Pictured from left is Marisa Malinowski, Michelle Brunkenhoefer,
Kathy Warnell, Jeanette Caligone (member), Eric Davenport,
Mike Payne, and Cleveland Lane.