Sharing The Good

As school resumed, we shared. And all was good.

For the eighth year, volunteers from Regions Bank across 15 states helped meet the needs of returning students, teachers and first responders. We call the program Share The Good.

And volunteers across the Southeast, Midwest and Texas worked together to make a meaningful difference for educators, teachers and first responders in the communities we serve, often working with other outstanding community partners.

In some cases, the giving back was very personal.

In Taylorville, Illinois, volunteers wanted to pay back members of the Taylorville Police Department by delivering treats to first responders, including firemen. The reason: An off-duty officer was the first on the scene of an August car accident involving a Regions associate. In a time of crisis, he provided comfort and kept her calm until help arrived.

That’s what we love about Share The Good. Volunteers choose how they want to make a positive impact, then come up with plans of their own. Some examples:

• In Central Illinois, Regions associates held back-to-school supply and canned food drives. Branch Service Leaders also served lunch to senior citizens.
• A food collection drive was held at the main branch in Decatur, Illinois to benefit Decatur Kids Bags of Hopes, a program run by a local church that provides backpacks stuffed with food for children who otherwise may not have anything to eat over the weekend. The team also donated $400 in jean day money.
• In Indianapolis, associates donated to the school supply collection drive for Riley Children’s Hospital School. Per reps from Riley, it was the largest such donation the school has received.
• In Mississippi, associates partnered with the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing, University Wellness, Mississippi Blood Services and MeritHealth for a “Your Good Health is Your Greatest Wealth” event at the Five Points Branch in Jackson. Customers were able to receive a financial and health checkups. Both customers and associates also used the opportunity to donate blood.
• In East Alabama, Calhoun County associates participated in the United Way Day of Action, packaging 50,000 meals for benevolent centers in our county.
• Meanwhile, the Anniston, Alabama office collected bottled water for our local Family Services organization on a Tuesday and spent Saturday teaching healthy habits to our community by hosting exercise classes along with healthy eating and meal planning.
• In Nashville, associates paid no attention to the 98-degree heat, choosing instead to greet incoming freshman at Tennessee State University with cold bottles of water.
• In Texas, Regions worked again with the Round Rock Police Department SWAT Team to deliver school supplies to elementary schools. The students were impressed with the backpacks of goods, but even had more fun with the first responders and associates.
• In Birmingham, our private wealth team partnered with Pathways to serve lunch to homeless women and children.
• Not to be outdone, the compliance team from Birmingham joined other volunteers at the Community Food Bank, ensuring those in need will have a place to turn. By the end of the week-long shift, Regions volunteers organized 5,450 pounds of food into 4,542 meals for local communities across Alabama.