WASHINGTON — The American Bankers Association Foundation is accepting entries for the 2016 Community Commitment Awards through July 1. The Community Commitment Awards recognize innovative and high impact projects and programs in seven categories, including ‘Affordable Housing’— a topic of particular importance during June’s American Housing Month. The ABA Foundation will present the awards at its annual convention in Nashville, Oct. 16-18.
“Banks play a major role in helping their customers achieve their financial goals and creating vibrant places to live and work,” said Corey Carlisle, executive director of the ABA Foundation. “The Community Commitment Awards highlight some of the remarkable efforts and achievements of banks across the country, as they work diligently to improve the lives of their customers and their neighborhoods.”
For example, the 2015 winner of the ‘Affordable Housing’ category was HomeStreet Bank in Seattle for its homeownership benefits program aimed at providing comprehensive financial education, down payment assistance and reduced closing costs to employees of partner organizations.
The bank’s Hometown Home Loan Program — established in 1994 — was originally developed to help police and fire department employees qualify for homes in areas close to where they worked. Today, the program has expanded to offer housing-related assistance to first-time and low-to-moderate income employees of more than 150 public and private-sector partner organizations.
The other six categories include community and economic development, financial education, nontraditional borrower and underbanked, protecting older Americans, volunteerism and the George Bailey Distinguished Service Award.
See more 2015 winners on aba.com/communityengagement.
The awards are given to banks of all asset sizes and judged by a panel of nationally recognized experts. Visit the Community Commitment Awards for more information and to enter.
All Community Commitment Award entries will be displayed on the ABA Foundation’s “Banks in Their Communities” map – an interactive, searchable map on aba.com that showcases all program entries by state. The map serves as a database for corporate social responsibility efforts across the industry.
For more information on American Housing Month, visit aba.com/housing.