ABA: Foundation Honors Six Banks with Community Commitment Awards

​ WASHINGTON — Six banks have been recognized as leaders in corporate social responsibility with an American Bankers Association Foundation Community Commitment Award. The awards were given to banks for their efforts in categories ranging from affordable housing to economic inclusion. Winners will be presented with their award at ABA’s Annual Convention in Chicago on Oct. 17.

The selection committee, made up of national experts in each category, chose winners based on the creativity and thoughtfulness of the bank program. Each program must embody the ideals of corporate social responsibility and demonstrate success in measurable terms.

“This year’s honorees demonstrate the impressive and impactful work of America’s banks,” said Corey Carlisle, executive director of the ABA Foundation. “Their programs highlight an on going commitment to building thriving, sustainable communities and enhancing the quality of life for the customers they serve.”

The 2017 award winners are:

Affordable Housing

• Woodforest National Bank, The Woodlands, Texas, for its Wealth Building Through Homeownership Program. The program helps increase access to homeownership for low to moderate income families through a public-private partnership with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

Community and Economic Development

• Alpine Bank, Glenwood Springs, Co., for its Community Solar Program. Alpine Bank partnered with Clean Energy Collective (CEC) to purchase about 82 individual solar photovoltaic panels to donate to the Family and Intercultural Resource Center (FIRC), a local nonprofit organization that works to strengthen families through education and connection to resources. This is the first instance that a for-profit business has made a community solar purchase for the sole purpose of a low-income, community reinvestment.

Economic Inclusion

• Green Dot Bank, Pasadena, Calif., for its Prize Savings Program. To help address our nation’s savings crisis, Green Dot, Walmart and Commonwealth launched the Prize Savings Program for all Walmart MoneyCard customers, providing millions of low and moderate income families with the tools and incentives to save.  It provides a monthly sweepstakes that awards hundreds of cash prizes just by saving up. Each dollar a customer saves in their MoneyCard Vault equals one entry in that month’s national drawing, up to $500 for 500 entries.

Financial Education

• 1st Security Bank of Washington, Mountlake Terrace, Wash., for its IF Project. In collaboration with the Washington Corrections Center for Women and community partners, the IF Project provides financial literacy lessons to women who are about to renter society. Participating employees use their areas of expertise in banking, lending, savings and credit to mentor those whose release is imminent, with the goal of providing financial knowledge and skill in maneuvering the financial system so that they might succeed in their new lives outside the prison.

Protecting Older Americans

• Bank of the Rockies, N.A., Clyde Park, Mont., for CONversations About Cons – a series of roundtable discussions open to all residents which focuses on elder fraud and exploitation. This series begins with the basics of what elder fraud is and continues with the most common scams, how to detect and prevent fraud and exploitation and what a person can do if it is suspected. Sessions are hosted throughout the year, each focusing on specific topics within the realm of elder fraud/exploitation.

Volunteerism

• TBK Bank, SSB, Dallas, for its Investing in Change Program. Through the program, TBK Bank sponsors community service activities with “key partners,” or groups the bank has consistently partnered with. They make it easy for employees to participate – even offering ways to volunteer from the office. TBK also matches employee donations to key partner organizations up to $500 per employee each year.

All entries for this year’s Community Commitment Awards will be added to the ABA Foundation’s Banks in their Communities interactive map. The map showcases the corporate social responsibility efforts of banks across the country and allows users to search and view program profiles. Winning and honorable mention entries are also noted.

See below for a complete list of Community Commitment Award honorable mentions.

Affordable Housing

American Savings Bank, Honolulu

Level One Bank, Farmington Hills, Mich.

Salisbury Bank and Trust Company, Lakeville, Conn.

Wells Fargo, San Francisco

Banc of California, Santa Ana, Calif.

Bank of the Rockies, Livingston, Mont.

Country Club Bank, Kansas City, Mo.

UniBank Savings, Worcester, Mass.

Valley National Bank, Orlando, Fla.

First Financial Bank, Cincinnati

Mascoma Savings Bank, Lebanon, N.H.

Pioneer Services, Kansas City, Mo.

Ally Bank, Midvale, Utah

Central Bank & Trust Company, Lexington, Ky.

Fifth Third Bank, Cincinnati

First National Bank Texas, Killeen, Texas

Bank of Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, Mich.

Heritage Bank & Trust, Columbia, Tenn.

LegacyTexas Bank, Plano, Texas

Northeast Bank, Minneapolis

Bank of Putnam County, Cookeville, Tenn.

City National Bank of West Virginia, Cross Lanes, W.Va.

First State Bank of St. Charles, St. Charles, Mo.

U.S. Bank, Minneapolis