Lending a hand: survey finds Indiana bankers are generous with time, talent and dollars to support communities.

WHILE FINANCIAL MARKETS are being closely watched across the country, a different sort of evaluation is taking place in Indiana, where the state's bankers are being recognized for a variety of community service efforts.

The Indiana Banking Association undertook its first such survey of service projects and volunteer activities in an attempt to better understand how banks are giving back to their communities.

"The tradition of community service runs deep in the Indiana banking community Banking is a people business; the 'people skills' of banking professionals are every bit as strong as their financial skills," explains Laura Wilson, vice president of communications for the association. "Every bank to some degree donates time and talent to growing their communities."

Among the 30 percent of member banks that responded to the survey, Wilson noted a wide range of service projects that assisted more than 4,100 community groups across the state and with 115,000 hours of service from bank associates.

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Helping youth. A good example of the difference that direct involvement can make in a community took place in Warsaw, where John Elliott of 1st Source Bank has taken a leadership role with the Baker Youth Club.

Having served on the center's board for more than 20 years, Elliott understands the importance of the organization's role in helping K-12 students from low and moderate-income families. However, he also saw greater potential for the center if it could own its own building rather than having to use other facilities.

"We talked about it for years, but nobody had the passion to get it done," Elliott recalls. However, he says that changed after Tracy Furnivall joined the organization as its first full-time executive director in 2003. When the dream of having a dedicated facility for the center suddenly seemed like it could become a reality, Elliot stepped up to help launch a fundraising drive that was supported by many of the bank's clients in the community. The center was also able to secure both small and large donations, including a $50,000 gift from the 1st Source Foundation and a $500,000 grant from the state.

"We put together a plan and raised $2.2 million for it," Elliot says, noting that in addition to the new facility, those efforts also provided an endowment to make sure the center would be equipped to provide services to area youth. Now the club is housed in a spacious facility complete with a gym, computer study room, hobby room, game room and kitchen. The Baker Youth Club predominantly serves youth from low- to moderate-income families, providing activities, education and meals when school is not in session.

Interestingly, it was a banker who originally founded the club in 1926. Bramwell Baker, an East Coast banker who summered on Winona Lake, challenged the city to match his $1,000 donation and start a boy's club in the community. Now Elliot says 1st Source is continuing that tradition by following its value statement on community leadership, which states: "We anticipate and respond to area economic and social issues. Our financial and human resources are shared with the communities we serve in order to actively help build good places to live and work and raise our families."

Such leadership isn't unusual in the banking profession and Wilson notes projects often are identified by bankers who know the local needs and can identify ways to address them.

"Community projects reflect the communities that banks are housed in," she says. "For example, Farmer State Bank in LaGrange not only supports well-known causes such as United Way, American Red Cross and Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts, but also reaches out to its local Amish community, hosting meetings for Amish bishops to help with their specific financial needs."

"Bankers live in the communities they serve, and banks thrive when communities thrive," she says. "All banks in Indiana uphold a culture of volunteerism and community service for the betterment of all."

Financial literacy. Another way that many banks help local communities is through financial literacy programs. The survey reported more than 100 programs around the state reached 628 adults and more than 2,500 students in an attempt to make money matters more understandable.

Dian Reyome, financial literacy coordinator at Centier Bank in Crown Point, says reaching out to community groups and organizations is an important way to make a difference in the lives of those who struggle with finances. For example, she cites work in northwest Indiana with Lake County's North Township Trustee's office.

"Centier has made financial literacy presentations to their case workers and clients, and predatory lending/reverse mortgage presentations at their senior citizen luncheon programs," she says. "Centier also donated computers and printers for their township clients and residents of the township to use to "gain self-sufficiency by performing job searches, submitting applications and creating resumes."

Providing volunteer incentives. Reyome says Centier is stepping up efforts to increase community service in 2008 by providing paid time to associates who volunteer with an approved organization.

"Centier is rolling out a new program to encourage even more charitable work in our communities," she explains. "Centier Associates Reaching out to Everyone (C.A.R.E.) is a benefit program for associates who have been employed with Centier at least one year. Associates who volunteer at a charitable event or with a charitable organization can receive up to a maximum of eight hours of paid time."

Regions Financial Corp. is also encouraging community service projects in Indiana this year with a similar effort. A new associate volunteer program called "What A Difference A Day Makes" allows associates to take one day per year, with pay, to volunteer in their community Regions employees in Indiana have volunteered with Junior Achievement in Remington and Lafayette, Camp Tecumseh, Lafayette/ West Lafayette Development Corp., Southern Indiana Homeownership Inc. and United Way.

In an effort to build financial stability for women who need assistance in the Indianapolis area, Regions is supporting the local "Dress for Success" program that provides professional clothing and advice to those seeking employment. "Our associates will be donating suits, handbags and shoes," explains Kim Borges, who says the program assigns participating women a "personal shopper" who can help in building a wardrobe of professional attire. The program also provides networking and mentoring and a support group for women who get new jobs and bank employees are active in many of those roles.

"We believe the meaningful and life-changing work Dress for Success does to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women offers a perfect fit with Regions' mission to make life better for the communities we serve," says Leslie Carter-Prall, a consumer banking executive for Regions in Indianapolis. "We are proud to lend our support as a corporate partner of the organization's annual fashion show fundraiser. More important, we are pleased that our associates have become personally engaged by donating business attire, serving as personal shoppers, assisting with professional development programs and providing support in a board leadership capacity"

Using technology, Technology is being used to encourage employees at Wells Fargo to participate in community service activities, notes Kelly Sprecher, who says 300 Indiana and Ohio employees used Volunteer Wells Fargo!, the bank's Internet-based tool, to report 15,800 volunteer hours covering a variety of projects.

In Fort Wayne, Wells Fargo team members collaborated with the Allen County African Immigrants Social and Economic Development Agency (AISEDA) in 2007 to teach a series of financial literacy classes to African refugees and new immigrants. Sprecher explains the classes were designed to help develop economic self-sufficiency and to provide an understanding of the American credit system and the benefits of homeownership.

In Shipshewana, Wells Fargo team members taught a series of classes on "How to Develop a Successful Business Plan" for budding entrepreneurs in LaGrange County. The student with the most viable business plan was awarded a $1,000 scholarship by Wells Fargo and the Learning Generation Initiative.

Recognizing service. Highlighting volunteer activities within a bank is also a way to stress the importance of community service. For example, Old National Bancorp generates an annual community investment report that recorded 39,000 hours of volunteer work in 2007.

Patty Smith, who works as the bank's director of employee communications, was recognized as its 2007 Volunteer of the Year for her work with area organizations such as the Evansville Youth Service Bureau and the Vanderburgh County Homeless Youth Council.

"I don't recharge my batteries by watching TV," she says. "I recharge by working with other people to end homelessness, by striving to create a brighter future for young girls. Making a difference in my community is such a privilege and that energizes me."

Old National president and CEO Bob Jones says such service dates back to the 1834 when the bank's first president helped to support the first businesses in Evansville.

"For 173 years, Old National has played a major role in strengthening communities and impacting lives," Jones says. "Patty embodies the true spirit of our company values. She has embraced Old National's legacy of community leadership and written her own amazing and inspiring chapter."