Regions Bank will soon mark the close of another year of serving customers and communities across the South, Midwest, and Texas. As 2024 winds down, Regions associates across the bank’s service footprint are helping under-resourced community members experience comfort and joy this holiday season.
I’m DREAMING of the Perfect Gift … Wrap!
Giftwrapping a skateboard requires precision, patience – and, oh, maybe one more thing.
“It requires Colleen Stein,” said Jackson Adams.
Adams, a small-business relationship manager with Regions Bank in Indianapolis, enlisted the creative skills of his teammate, Stein, a former FAO Schwarz employee, during a recent holiday giftwrapping activity the market hosted for eighth graders involved with mentoring nonprofit DREAM Alive.
“I learned a lot of lessons working in a toy store offering free giftwrapping,” said Stein, a Commercial Banking relationship specialist. “We used to wrap everything.”
Along with that skateboard, Adams, Stein and several additional bank associates wrapped soccer balls, monster trucks, clothes and more with the DREAM scholars. Those gifts were distributed Dec. 4 at DREAM Christmas, an annual event making the holiday season brighter for Indianapolis families in need.
Regions Bank and the Regions Foundation, a nonprofit primarily funded by Regions Bank, are both DREAM Alive community partners.
Hosting 600-plus youth and their families, DREAM Christmas features ornament-making and cookie decorating stations, a DJ, videogames, facepainting and much more. The event highlight? DREAM Scholars presenting a signature gift to their child to unwrap before taking a bag of gifts home to open later.
“The students were very thoughtful and caring about what gift they wanted to wrap in that special paper for their child to open that night,” said Stein.
But long before DREAM Christmas and the gift wrapping and shopping for it occur, the budgeting to buy those presents occurs.
Enter Regions Bank once again.
Since 2010, bank associates have conducted a financial education workshop to give DREAM Alive scholars a practice run at buying gifts for their children before the real shopping day arrives.
It’s all part of a tradition – for both the kids and the kids at heart.
“The energy the students brought to the wrapping party brought back those childhood memories that spark something in you,” said Adams.
“I thought the excitement in the air was refreshing and contagious,” added Stein. “And you kind of wanna play with the all the stuff, too!”
Toy Soldiers
Across North Alabama, nearly 40 Regions locations became command posts for an army of love supporting children in foster care. Regions is a longtime community partner of the nonprofit Kids to Love. This year, that extended to the “Christmas for Kids” gift drive. Regions branches ‘recruited’ customers to select Christmas tree ornaments with the names, ages and holiday wishes of local foster children – then return the ornaments attached to new, unwrapped gifts.
The campaign was a great success. Hundreds of toys and gifts were gathered.
With the help of Regions volunteers, we’re making sure every wish is fulfilled, and we’re checking it twice.
Lee Marshall, founder and CEO of Kids to Love
“With the help of Regions volunteers, we’re making sure every wish is fulfilled, and we’re checking it twice,” said Lee Marshall, founder and CEO of Kids to Love. “We want to thank Regions so much for continuing to be partner with us on our Christmas for Kids drive. And we thank all the Regions customers for supporting our kids this holiday season.”
In addition to “Christmas for Kids,” Regions Bank supports education, workforce readiness, and financial wellness programs for Kids to Love participants. Additionally, the Regions Foundation, a nonprofit funded primarily by Regions Bank, supports KTECH, a Kids to Love initiative that provides hands-on, interactive, on-on-one instruction and connects students to skilled jobs in the manufacturing industry.
Feeding the Future
Regions Wealth Management and Commercial Banking associates in North Alabama have hearts just as full of holiday cheer for young people. They worked together at the Food Bank of North Alabama to pack more than 2,500 meal bags for school children who face food insecurity.
By providing this support so some of our youngest neighbors have fuller tummies today, the things they’ll now be able to learn will help them reach greater success in the future.
Sean Kelly, Regions Bank North Alabama market executive
“Each of these bags was packed with care, thankfulness, and compassion,” said Sean Kelly, North Alabama market executive for Regions Bank. “It’s the Regions mission to help all members of our community thrive. By providing this support so some of our youngest neighbors have fuller tummies today, the things they’ll now be able to learn will help them reach greater success in the future.”
Making Spirits Bright
The warmth of a coat, the joy of a toy – Regions Bank associates in Dallas, Texas, recently delivered both during the fourth annual Christmas at Fair Park event hosted by nonprofit Viola’s House. Since its 2008 founding, Viola’s House has provided housing and support services to parents of all ages, with a primary focus on teenage and young adult moms and moms-to-be.
Dallas team members across several business groups personally donated 130 items toward this year’s collection drive, which distributed 1,800 coats and 5,000 toys.
Community partnerships like this one are key – not only by offering immediate relief for the mothers and children we serve, but also by creating a long-term impact helping them thrive in the future.
Kaycee Polite, Chief Operating Officer for Viola’s House
“We are so thankful for the incredible generosity of Regions Bank and their donation of coats and toys to our Christmas in Fair Park toy and coat drive,” said Kaycee Polite, Chief Operating Officer for Viola’s House. “Community partnerships like this one are key – not only by offering immediate relief for the mothers and children we serve, but also by creating a long-term impact helping them thrive in the future. Together, we can expand our reach to meet the needs of more families in our community.”
About Regions Foundation
Regions Foundation supports community investments that positively impact the communities served by Regions Bank. The Foundation engages in a grantmaking program focused on priorities including economic and community development; education and workforce readiness; and financial wellness. The Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation funded primarily through contributions from Regions Bank.