INFiN Announces the Recipients of the 2021 StAR and Activa Awards

Awards programs recognize member companies’ commitments to their communities through engagement, philanthropy, and store appearance

November 2, 2021, Washington, D.C. – INFiN, a Financial Services Alliance, has announced the winners of its Activa and StAR Awards. The annual awards programs recognize INFiN member companies for their outstanding commitment to community involvement, as well as consumer financial services store appearance and customer engagement, respectively. Award winners were honored at INFiN’s MoneyTrends 2021 conference in Washington, D.C.

Our members have a long and outstanding tradition of giving back to the communities they serve through a wide array of community engagement and other impactful endeavors,” said Ed D’Alessio, executive director of INFiN. "Through the Activa and StAR Awards, we are proud to recognize our members’ efforts to elevate their commitments to invest in the communities in which they operate and show solidarity with the customers they serve.”

The Activa Awards program celebrates winning companies engaged in meaningful community enrichment and philanthropy. The Activa Award was first established by the Financial Service Centers of America (FiSCA) – the legacy organization of INFiN – in 1999. With each year’s winners, the Activa Awards spotlight the pivotal role community-based financial services providers play in making America’s neighborhoods a better place to live and work.

The winning programs of this year’s Activa Award are:

• CFSC Community Financial Service Centers – Fundraising efforts to benefit The Bronx-based Atmosphere Academy’s “Island School” experiential learning program.
• Dollar Loan Center – Partnership to provide funding, exposure, and help to the Heaven Can Wait Animal Society in Las Vegas, Nevada.
• PLS Financial Services – National program to set aside part of PLS’s check cashing fee on government stimulus checks, resulting in more than $80,000 donated to the American Red Cross for disaster relief.
• Populus Financial Group, Inc – Multi-region fundraising program to support the Adopt a Classroom program, dedicated to making sure students and teachers have the supplies they need for a successful school year.
• Advance Financial – Volunteer programs through the Advance Financial Foundation to support local community organizations.
• LendingBear – Continued, impressive support of the U.S. Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots holiday gift donation campaign.
• Montgomery Enterprises – Donation of supplies and meals to local children’s and women’s hospitals.

The StAR Award is presented each year to INFiN member companies demonstrating outstanding efforts to enhance, improve, and beautify the communities in which they operate, as embodied by the appearance and/or renovation of winning storefront locations.

The winners of this year’s StAR Award are:

• CFSC Community Financial Service Centers – 510 Claremont Parkway, Bronx, NY
• Friendly Check Cashing – 259 Broad St., Newark, NJ
• Dollar Loan Center – 8860 W. Sunset Rd., Las Vegas, NV
• PLS Financial Services – 4302 W Mcdowell Rd., Phoenix, AZ
• PLS Financial Services – 14002 Bammel North Houston Rd., Houston, TX
• Your Exchange – 7315 Highway 65, Fridley, MN

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