It’s July, and while many families are still enjoying beach vacations, pool days and a few more weeks of summer fun, Regions teams are already preparing for the new school year.
Through the annual Share the Good volunteer initiative, associates across the footprint are organizing school supply drives and contributing in-kind donations to help students, teachers and families start the year strong. As one of Regions’ longstanding traditions of service, Share the Good reflects the bank’s commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for associates to support local communities.
“The start of a new school year is an exciting time for students, families and educators, but it can also bring challenges,” said Gina Sian, head of the Regions Making Life Better Institute. “Through Share the Good, our associates are helping provide resources and encouragement that can make a meaningful difference. Supporting students and teachers has long been an important part of how Regions serves our communities, and these efforts align closely with our commitment to advancing education and workforce readiness.”
Supporting students and teachers has long been an important part of how Regions serves our communities, and these efforts align closely with our commitment to advancing education and workforce readiness.
Gina Sian, head of the Regions Making Life Better Institute
Beyond Share the Good volunteer efforts, associates are also leading financial education workshops and supporting back-to-campus events. From collecting classroom supplies to equipping college students with financial wellness tools, Regions associates are finding a variety of ways to make an impact this back-to-school season.
Supporting Teachers and Classrooms
In Jonesboro, Regions is sponsoring the United Way of Northeast Arkansas Stuff the Bus campaign. On Aug. 1, members of the Arkansas Impact Network will volunteer to collect and organize donated school supplies for students in need.
Similar supply drives are planned in Mobile (Operation Big Bookbag), Birmingham (United Way of Central Alabama’s Back to School Supply Drive) and Charlotte (Classroom Central‘s School Tools campaign). Along with collecting supplies for Brightlane Learning, the Indianapolis team is also participating in a volunteer event at Teachers Treasures on July 30. Associates in Nashville got an early start, supporting the United Way of Greater Nashville’s Stuff the Bus campaign in mid-July.
In the St. Louis market, Regions Impact Network members and volunteers are taking a different approach to back-to-school support through Junior’s Back 2 School Bash & Golf Tournament, in collaboration with What’s the Formula Mentoring Academy. The event combines an 18-hole charity golf tournament with activities designed to serve hundreds of students and families across the Metro East community. In addition to helping provide school supplies and other resources for the academic year, Regions associates will share financial education resources and guidance with students and families.
Building Financial Confidence
Beyond providing school supplies, Regions associates are helping students and families build financial skills that can support them well beyond the first day of class.
In Shreveport, teams are hosting back-to-school financial education events that bring the entire family together. Participants gather for dinner before taking part in the Reality Check budget simulation, an interactive exercise that challenges students and parents to make real-world spending decisions and better understand the importance of financial planning.
Regions volunteers in Memphis recently provided financial wellness instruction to young adults participating in the Shelby County Mayor’s Summer Internship Program in collaboration with the Greater Memphis Financial Empowerment Center. The sessions focused on practical money management skills to help participants prepare for the next stage of their educational and professional journeys.
Meanwhile, Community and Market Engagement Financial Education leaders and 20 Regions volunteers recently welcomed 50 students participating in the Lawson State Community College Foundation’s summer program for high school students. Through a Reality Check budget simulation, students gained practical experience with budgeting, spending and financial planning as they prepare for college and future careers.
Whether a student is preparing for high school, college or their first job, understanding how to budget, save and set financial goals can help create greater confidence and open doors to future success.
Cecilia Bailey, Financial Education manager at Regions
Additional financial education programs have engaged youth through community partnerships with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Alabama, the College Choice Foundation and Southern University’s SOAR program in Baton Rouge, extending Regions’ commitment to helping students develop the knowledge and confidence needed to achieve their goals.
“Back-to-school season is about more than classrooms and supplies,” said Cecilia Bailey, Financial Education manager at Regions. “It’s also an opportunity to help students build the financial knowledge and decision-making skills that will serve them throughout their lives. Whether a student is preparing for high school, college or their first job, understanding how to budget, save and set financial goals can help create greater confidence and open doors to future success.”
Connecting with Students on Campus
Along with community-based activities, Regions associates are also meeting students where they are, helping them navigate the transition back to campus and prepare for the opportunities ahead.
This fall, Regions is hosting Financial Returns: Knowledge That Pays You Back events at several campuses across the footprint, including Auburn University, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss and Mississippi State University.
While budgeting and money management remain key topics, students will also gain practical guidance on career readiness, including resume building, interviewing, salary negotiation and fraud prevention.
At Auburn, incoming freshmen will participate in a Reality Check budget simulation during the university’s First 56 Days, an eight-week welcome program designed to help new students adjust to campus life. Regions will also return to campus during Fall Family Weekend in September to continue engaging students and families.
Regions’ support of higher education also includes a strong focus on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Financial Education Trainer Keren Treme and a team of volunteers will welcome students at Miles College through a Reality Check session, while Regions associates participate in orientation and back-to-school events at Alabama State University, Alabama A&M University, Jackson State University, Florida A&M University, Tennessee State University, Texas Southern University and Stillman College.
College athletes are another key audience for Regions’ financial wellness efforts. Student-athletes at Ole Miss, The University of Alabama and Auburn University are receiving specialized financial education focused on budgeting, saving and managing Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) income.
“Whether students are entering a classroom, moving into a residence hall or preparing for their first paycheck, they’re making decisions that can shape their future,” Sian said. “By meeting students where they are and providing practical resources, guidance and encouragement, we can help them build confidence and take meaningful steps toward achieving their goals.”
By donating school supplies, sharing financial information or volunteering at local schools and campuses, associates are helping students and educators confidently begin the school year and bringing Regions’ commitment to community engagement, education and workforce readiness to life.
