Teachers interested in getting the most out of their CEA membership participated in a 90-minute Member Benefits session that helped kick off day one of CEA’s annual summer conference, held virtually this year.
Participants were introduced to new and longstanding Member Benefits partners offering discounts on everything from live entertainment to healthy meals at home. They heard from representatives from AAA Mid-Atlantic, Bridgeport Islanders Hockey, California Casualty Insurance, Cambridge Credit Counseling, Dream Dinners, NEA Member Benefits, New England Revolution Soccer, The Adventure Park, UConn Athletics, and CEA-endorsed USI Insurance.
Numerous raffle prizes, including gift cards, gift baskets, and tickets to upcoming events, were awarded to several lucky participants.
CEA Member Benefits Commission Chair Ana Batista, a bilingual teacher and president of the Bridgeport Education Association, has saved thousands of dollars through CEA’s Member Benefits program on everything from clothing and home furnishings to Hartford Yard Goats baseball games—a family favorite. (The Yard Goats just put the wraps on the second and final CEA Teacher Appreciation Day game of the summer this past weekend—selling more than 300 discounted seats to CEA fans this season.) Savvy members who check cea.org/discounts are easily able to rack up savings that exceed their CEA dues dollars, pointed out CEA Communications and Member Benefits Director Nancy Andrews. NEA Member Benefits’ new partnership with Rakuten adds another layer of savings to the mix, where members earn cash back on online purchases they make every day, added NEA Member Benefits Specialist Mike Reilly.
“Now that there’s been some lifting of COVID restrictions, and events are increasingly being offered in person,” said Andrews, “our Member Benefits partners are happy to welcome people back and especially show their appreciation for our hard-working teachers.”
While season schedules for fall and winter sports are still being developed, many will be finalized in the coming days and weeks, and CEA members can expect to save on multiple tiers of seating. Theme nights and special teacher appreciation giveaways are being planned, and discounts are currently available for all remaining home matches of the New England Revolution.
During CEA’s Summer Experience conference on Monday, UConn football announced a discount in the works for the Huskies’ homecoming game—Saturday, October 16—as they go up against Yale on the gridiron. Details will follow soon, as CEA special pricing becomes available.
New to the mix of CEA Member Benefits partners is AAA, where Connecticut teachers in any of AAA Mid-Atlantic’s nine regions throughout the state can save 50 percent on new membership.
Dream Dinners is another recent addition, providing customizable, healthy meal kits that make dinner at home a snap. When Bloomfield teachers who frequent Dream Dinners in Manchester suggested discounts for all CEA members, CEA made the request, and store manager Linda Franco made it official. Franco notes that educators make up an estimated 40 percent of her business, where they save 15 percent.
Many CEA Member Benefits partners not only put more money in teachers’ pockets—like Cambridge Credit Counseling, which recently saved one teacher $60,000 in student loan debt—but many also pride themselves on their community outreach and social responsibility, including USI associates, who volunteer their time and talent in their communities; California Casualty, which awards grants to school athletics, music, and arts programs; the Bridgeport Islanders, who help children in need with living essentials and recreational opportunities; and more. If you missed it, a recorded session is available for you to view at cea.org/cea-webinars/. Special offers and new vendors are frequently added at www.cea.org/discounts.
