Giving Back To Propel Our Communities Forward

It began as an idea to rally people together to do good for others on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

It’s grown to become a global movement across 80 countries inspiring incredible generosity, raising nearly $3 billion in 2021 alone.

Giving Tuesday was established by two New York nonprofits to encourage people to lend their support through volunteerism, donations and advocacy.

Regions Bank is proud to celebrate Giving Tuesday 2022 by both encouraging mission-based giving and highlighting recent donations our teams made to community partners across several states. Giving Tuesday is a special occasion each year – but the opportunity to give is year-around. See how our colleagues carried out our mission to make life better for the communities we serve.

Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas:

Feeding America estimates 53 million people turned to food banks and community programs to help put food on the table in 2021. And while all areas are affected by food insecurity, rural areas are often hit especially hard.

In 2021, the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas, a Feeding America affiliate, distributed more than 8.5 million pounds of food to neighbors in need. Earlier this month, Regions Bank in Jonesboro assisted with addressing food insecurity by making a $1,000 contribution benefitting the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas. The donation equates to providing 4,000 meals for those without reliable access to affordable and nutritious food.

Northeast Arkansas Consumer Banking associates also personally supported the cause, collecting nearly 1,000 non-perishable food items during the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas’ 30 Days of Giving Campaign conducted each November.

“We know one in four children in our region is at risk of hunger,” said Michael Miller, market executive for Regions Bank in Jonesboro. “The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas has been working with nonprofit community partners for 40 years to address hunger challenges. Our team members have proudly supported their work through canned good drives, personal donations and by participating in their fundraising events.”

Food For Thought:

A Regions community partner in the Florida Panhandle is working to remove the negative impacts of hunger to empower schoolchildren to get the most out of their education. After learning that students who miss multiple meals outside of school do not learn or develop at the same rate as their peers, the founders of Food For Thought set out to provide year-round access to healthy, easy-to-prepare meals for food-insecure students in Okaloosa and Walton counties.

Since 2010, Food for Thought has steadily built on its mission to bridge the meal gap for vulnerable students, and now provides food to 3,400 children across 34 school locations on a weekly basis.

Regions associates recently collected nearly $900 in food items and delivered them to Food for Thought. It was enough to fill 554 backpacks to feed 554 schoolchildren.

“It was truly a great way for us all to spend time as a team while giving back to our community,” said Leslie Stricklin, market executive for Regions in Walton County. “They were certainly impressed with our work ethic and speed. And we all left feeling like we made a big difference.”

The H.E.A.R.T. Program:

While all nonprofits are full of heart, that’s especially true for The Housing, Entrepreneurship and Readiness Training (H.E.A.R.T.) Program in Houston, Texas. Since its 2005 founding, the organization has been creating opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to achieve their potential through innovative training, housing and employment programs.

Earlier this year, Regions Bank presented The H.E.A.R.T. Program with a $5,250 contribution to support those programs. Several associates from Regions’ Houston Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Network also recently attended the nonprofit’s annual Have a H.E.A.R.T. Luncheon, which recognizes those who have made a difference in improving the lives of people with special needs or disabilities.

Learn more about The H.E.A.R.T. Program’s commitment to supporting social entrepreneurism here.

Junior Achievement of Dallas:

It’s an activity-filled business hub where students discover careers, explore entrepreneurism and flex their financial literacy skills. Welcome to Junior Achievement BizTown!

Regions Bank has a proud history of working alongside Junior Achievement affiliates in several cities, including JA of Dallas. Earlier this year, Regions contributed $10,000 to support the North Texas nonprofit’s educational programs. A group of 10 bank associates also volunteered during a recent JA BizTown simulation day. Stephen Tigh, a Commercial Banking relationship manager and a member of the JA of Dallas board of directors, was one of them.

“Volunteering with Junior Achievement offers me an opportunity to make a positive impact on the next generation by sharing my life experiences and career in banking,” said Tigh. “When Regions leverages our capital and team members to support JA’s workforce readiness and entrepreneurship programs, we’re not just investing in our children, we’re also helping to ensure a prosperous future for our community.”

Take a deeper look at the many programs JA of Dallas conducts.

Money Moves Baton Rouge:

Louisiana residents from all walks of life are being hit hard by the financial impacts of inflation, natural disasters, global supply chain disruptions, and more. Unfortunately, among the 50 states, Louisiana ranks low in basic financial literacy. More people need access to financial skills and trustworthy information to navigate these challenging times and meet their families’ current, future, and emergency needs.

To help address this need, on Nov. 12, NPR news radio station WRKF 89.3 FM, launched a free financial literacy conference, Money Moves Baton Rouge, to provide trustworthy financial information for sound financial decisions.

Regions Bank was the lead donor of funds for Money Moves Baton Rouge. Regions bankers also presented seminars on budgeting, saving, credit, and other financial wellness topics.

“We believe it is never too early to have those important conversation s about how to save more, spend wisely, and manage credit in a productive way,” said Amy Province, Baton Rouge market executive for Regions Bank. “We are happy to work with WRKF and other groups to help families plan for, and reach, their unique financial goals. As more people become financially secure, there is a tremendous benefit for you personally, for your family, and four our Baton Rouge community as a whole.”

Interested in seeing how Regions lent its support to the community during previous years? Take a look back at our Giving Tuesday highlights from 2021, 2020 and 2019.