We are pleased to announce Hastings City Bank - Hastings, MI as our second Community Banking Month winner!
If you're familiar with the saying, "put your money where your mouth is," Hastings City Bank's Community Banking Month submission should resonate well. Rarely does a local business not only come up with an incredible cause, but also support it financially; however, that's exactly what this bank did--and continues to do today.
Hastings City Bank of Hastings, MI is dedicated to the education and financial success of its community by making sure that local children are taught the value of saving from a very young age.
Plansmith is honored to have Hastings City Bank as our client since 1997 and to name them a Community Banking Month award recipient. Thank you for sharing your story; your efforts are nothing short of inspiring!
Please enjoy Hastings City Bank’s winning entry below:
Hastings City Bank has partnered with the Barry Community Foundation and all Barry County school districts for a new initiative called KickStart to Career. This fund, within the Barry Community Foundation, will provide a savings account for every kindergarten student in the county, with a $50.00 initial deposit, beginning with the 2015-2016 kindergarten classes and is projected to continue into the future. The savings account is to be used for career training or college education expenses after high school graduation. Hastings City Bank was chosen as the depository for all of these accounts, approximately 700 per year, not only because of the geographic location of branches throughout the county but because of demonstrated commitment to financial literacy. Hastings City Bank is committed to taking savings lesson plans into every kindergarten classroom and has visited 31 kindergarten classrooms so far this school year. As a community partner in this initiative, the bank was recognized this past October at the annual Barry Community Foundation meeting. Attached photo L to R: Kim Finkbeiner, Vice President Operations, Nancy Goodin, Assistant Vice President Marketing Director, Doug and Margaret DeCamp of the DeCamp Family Foundation (funders of the program) Jane DeBat, Vice President Retail Banking, Neil Gardner, member of the Hastings City Bank board of directors, and Bonnie Gettys, president of the Barry Community Foundation.
The award reads:
Every child deserves a champion who will never give up on them,
understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best they can be!
Hastings City Bank 2015 Community Partner.