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Highlands Today

Banks Doing Their Part For Charity

Jasmina Meyer,Highlands Today

From left: Riverside Bank Branch Manager Dawn Zahller and Claudia Bishop, relationship manager, volunteer recently to package food at Manna Ministries, a food pantry in Lake Placid.

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By BILL ROGERS

Highlands Today

Published: December 21, 2008

LAKE PLACID - Normally Claudia Bishop would be doing her consumer lending and small business banking duties as a relationship manager at Riverside Bank, but Wednesday morning she had a different job - bagging groceries and handing out frozen turkeys at Manna Ministries.

Bishop was among 18 Riverside employees who worked at food banks in Highlands and Polk counties. The bank contributed $2,000 to Agape Food Bank with $1,000 designated for Polk County and $1,000 designated for Highlands County.

"We learned a whole lot," said Bishop, who donated her time with Dawn Zahller, Riverside's Lake Placid branch manager.

"I didn't know how much work went into it," Zahller said. "It was an experience that made you fell grateful for what you have."

"I was impressed with the organization," Bishop added. "They were very organized and things ran very smoothly."

The cash donations resulted from a 5 percent fee on the bank's coin counting machines located in nine Riverside locations in the two counties. Every time someone pours coins into the self-serve machines, the bank charges the fee to convert the coins into dollar bills.

The money from the bank was used to buy food, according to Marlene Christiansen, Manna's executive director.

"We were very surprised," Christiansen said of the donation. "We were really needing it at the time; we always need it."

Christiansen noted that 404 families came through Manna last month. That is considerably more than the 316 families who visited in November 2007.

"The two most important ways we can give back to our home towns is through volunteering our time and donating money," said John Williams, regional president, in a press release. "This year more than ever, families in our communities are in dire need of food and assistance during the holidays and we hope these funds and our time will help address these needs."

The decision to put machines in the Riverside locations came a few years ago.

"We decided to charge a lesser fee (than other self-serve machines) and distribute the funds throughout the community," Williams said.

Bank of America has also been active in charitable giving.

The Bank of America Foundation presented a $10,000 check to Redlands Christian Migrant Association last week. RCMA provides child care and early education for children of farm workers and other working-poor families.

"We were very, very happy to get the donation," said Matt Bokor, director of community relations for RCMA. "Things are tight all over. "Fundraising is getting more difficult, but (the donation) renews our spirit."

Bokor said the money will enable RCMA to cover school expenses for 33 children for an entire school year.

He noted 700 children in Highlands County were served in nine child care centers during 2007-08.

Bank of America's Disability Affinity Group is made up of a nationwide team of bank associates who are impacted by a disability or a caregiver of a disabled person.

The group recently gave $1,000 to Ridge Area Arc to help sponsor its holiday party for clients. This is the second year in a row it has done that, according to Diane Davies, vice president and Disability Affinity Group Florida chairperson.

The group donated $1,000 to Miracle League for their holiday andseason's end party last monthas well as donating in 2007 to the baseball program.

It helped sponsor Visions Adult Day Trainings holiday party Friday, and also delivered a check to Dr. Jose and Michelle Alvarez in their work to prevent drownings.

Bill Rogers may be reached at 386-5825 or wrogers@highlandstoday.com.

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