Community Banking Stories #1: Charitable Efforts

Every April, we celebrate Community Banking Month as a way to honor the hearts of community banks and give them a place to share their inspiring stories with other community banks across the nation. We’re kicking off our 2026 Community Banking Month series by recognizing the charitable support community banks provide within their communities. Supporting Teenage Financial LiteracyCommunity involvement and service are foundational aspects of the culture at Bank of Utah in Ogden, Utah. This is evidenced by the more than 2K volunteer hours that 313 employees contributed to 107 different organizations in 2025. As the title sponsor of Utah’s official PGA Tour event, the Bank of Utah Championship at Black Desert Resort, Bank of Utah announced its official community impact initiative: a comprehensive financial literacy program delivered statewide through Teen Centers in partnership with the Policy Project.The bank made a $150K donation in 2025 to the Policy Project to support the work of the Teen Centers in removing barriers to graduation, building self-reliance, and creating pathways to economic stability for youth experiencing homelessness or economic hardship.In 2011, Bank of Utah initiated the Warm Bodies, Warm Souls clothing drive. It has since grown into Utah’s largest statewide clothing drive. In 2025, Warm Bodies, Warm Souls collected and donated more than 600 bags of winter clothing. The bank also assembled more than 1K hygiene kits and delivered them to shelters, schools, and teen resource centers. Each kit included a Bank of Utah financial literacy booklet and a handwritten note of encouragement from a bank employee.Podcast Shines Spotlight on NonprofitsAfter four years of using its Community Difference Makers podcast to shine a spotlight on nonprofits, their leaders, and their missions, Des Moines, Iowa-based Bankers Trust has partnered with United Way of Central Iowa for a new focus of the Community Difference Makers podcast in 2026. This year, the bank is taking a closer look at critical community issues across Central Iowa, including food insecurity, housing, childcare, and youth violence. Each topic includes a four-part series of episodes featuring the team from United Way, nonprofits whose services and programs directly address the issues, and community members with lived experience. The goal of the podcast is to raise awareness of these important issues and demonstrate the collaboration that’s currently underway, as well as the work so many nonprofit organizations are doing in their community to address the issues and create opportunities for everyone to thrive.Hams for the Holidays When Tacoma, Washington-based Commencement Bank was founded 20 years ago, it started with a promise to support and invest in the communities it serves. Giving back wasn’t something the bank waited to do when it was easy or comfortable. They did it from the moment the bank opened its doors — even during the early years when it wasn’t profitable.In 2024, the bank initiated the first annual Hams for the Holidays event in response to a real need in the community witnessed by employees: to put food on the table for as many families as possible at a time when sharing a meal with loved ones matters most. After a successful first run that provided holiday hams for 1,500 families, the bank decided to make it even bigger last year. However, they discovered that the price of hams had doubled.The event manager told Commencement Bank CEO John Manolides the bad news and suggested scaling back. “I took one look at the numbers and told her not to worry, that our team would simply do more fundraising and outreach to cover the cost,” he said. Despite the cost increase, enough money was raised to feed even more families than the year before. To Commencement Bank, Hams for the Holidays is much more than an event — it is a reflection of their promise in action.Celebrating 25th Anniversary with $25K in DonationsEach year, Community Bank of Santa Maria, located in Santa Maria, California, celebrates its anniversary with a month-long shred event in March, when the community is invited to bring in as many as five 50-lb boxes of shred material per week. To celebrate its 25th anniversary this year, the bank is donating $25K to local non-profit organizations nominated by customers. Each month from March through December, a nonprofit will receive a $2,500 donation.“The way we see it, everyone either has a passion or a need for services provided by our local non-profits,” stated the bank. “In this way, we are repaying our community for their support.”#Gift2Giving Tops $100K in DonationsIn 2018, Community State Bank, located in Union Grove, Wisconsin, launched the #Gift2Giving holiday donation drive in which each employee is given $150 to donate to the nonprofit organization of their choice. In addition, the bank matches any personal donations made by employees up to $150. One hundred percent of bank employees participated in the program last year, and the campaign has distributed over $105K since its inception.“Our staff gets really excited about this campaign every year,” said Community State Bank CEO Scott Huedepohl. “It’s interesting to see where they choose to invest their funds. We learn about organizations right here in our backyard that we may not have had the opportunity to learn about otherwise.”Among the nonprofits that received funds last year were Anchor Ministries, Burlington Catholic School, Children’s Wisconsin Kenosha, Dementia Friendly Community Initiative, and Fellow Mortals Wildlife Hospital. Bank employees hand-delivered donation checks to each of the organizations.Community is a CommitmentAt First Federal Bank in Lake City, Florida, community isn’t just a word — it’s a commitment. Its employee matching donation program, First Federal Way, empowers employees to support causes they care about while multiplying their impact through a company match. In 2025, employees and the bank together contributed $88,802 through First Federal Way to support numerous nonprofit organizations all across the community.The nonprofits supported through First Federal Way reflect the passions and life experiences of the bank’s employees. For example, Tonya Bass supports her local hospice, Community Hospice Foundation of Nassau County, because “it represents compassion at one of the most vulnerable times in a person’s life. Hospice isn’t just about medical care; it is showing comfort and compassion during such a difficult time.”First Federal Way is only one part of First Federal Bank’s community outreach. Through multiple programs and donation channels, the bank contributed a total of $388,675 in community impact funding during the past year. By matching employee contributions, First Federal Bank ensures that every donation goes further in strengthening nonprofits, supporting families, and improving the quality of life across the communities served.Celebrating a Milestone Anniversary by GivingCommunity involvement has been woven into Jonah Bank of Wyoming, located in Casper and Cheyenne, Wyoming, since the bank was founded in 2006. Since then, the bank has contributed more than $5.6MM to charitable organizations statewide — quietly and consistently reinvesting into the people and places that have shaped the bank’s story. Jonah Bank’s marketing strategy is very different from most other banks. Instead of purchasing traditional advertising, marketing dollars are used for sponsorships and donations with employees showing up to celebrate and support the nonprofit community during their events and volunteer activities. To celebrate their 20th anniversary in 2026, the bank has made a bold, visible commitment to giving. On the 20th of every month throughout the year, Jonah Bank is donating $20K to two nonprofits — one in each of the two markets served. This creates 12 months of meaningful impact that go above and beyond the bank’s existing giving budget. In addition, each Jonah banker celebrates their work anniversary by directing a $250 donation to the nonprofit of their choice, paired with a commitment of at least 20 hours of volunteer service during the year.Matching Donations Double the ImpactAs a locally owned community bank that’s not driven by outside shareholders, Fairbanks, Alaska-based Mt. McKinley Bank is uniquely positioned to give back to the community in meaningful ways by reinvesting directly into the people and organizations that make the community strong. The bank is a significant contributor to the United Way, matching what employees give and doubling the impact of their generosity. Each employee is also given the opportunity to donate $300 from the bank to a nonprofit that’s close to their heart.Beyond financial support, the bank’s employees volunteer, serve on boards, mentor young professionals, and step forward whenever the community needs them. From sponsorships and donations to hands-on involvement, the ways that Mt. McKinley Bank supports Interior Alaska are woven into their daily work in a culture of service that has been rock-solid since 1965.Paid Volunteer Hours Remove Obstacles to ServingVolunteerism is essential to the culture at SouthWest Bank, located in Odessa, Texas. The bank collaborates with various nonprofits in each market, including Keep Odessa Beautiful, Keep Midland Beautiful, Rainbow Room, CASA of West Texas, United Way, Senior Life, and the Recording Library of West Texas, among others. To encourage active engagement with the community, SouthWest Bank offers employees paid volunteer hours, which ensures they have the opportunity to volunteer without any obstacles.Popular Fundraising Concert Returns After a pause due to COVID-19, Winona, Minnesota-based WNB Financial proudly brought back the Children’s Concert during the town’s Steamboat Days festival last June. The bank sponsored the event by covering the cost of the band, supplying the food for the $2 Hot Dog Lunch, and providing employees to serve the lunch. All funds raised from the event were donated to Ready Set School, which WNB Financial has supported since its inception. The mission of Ready Set School is to help Winona County K-12 students access essential clothing and school supplies. Funds are provided directly to families who can choose what their children need most as they prepare for school. The Children’s Concert and luncheon reflect WNB Financial’s commitment to community banking: investing locally, building meaningful partnerships, and creating opportunities that bring neighbors together to support local families.We deeply admire the heartfelt work these banks have accomplished this past year and are incredibly proud to feature them in our newsletter. In our next article, we focus on community banks that are unwrapping new technology and fresh strategies to serve customers better.