United Way campaigns will be launching soon in markets throughout the Regions Bank footprint. It’s an important program for the company – United Way is a key community partner and Regions is a giving leader in the markets it serves.
Financial support is vital, and Regions associates give generously each year. But Regions teams also serve United Way and its partner agencies with hands-on work. These community organizations are often in need of volunteers, and United Way hosts several events throughout the year, such as United Way Day of Caring and United Way Day of Action. Thousands of people participate globally but the projects are tailored to address specific needs of each community.
In Jacksonville, Ala., Branch Manager Bethany Lewis recently organized a group of associates for a meaningful United Way Day of Kindness project in collaboration with the United Way of East Central Alabama.
“Our community had been without a homeless shelter since 2019, and United Way of East Central Alabama has been working on a solution since,” Lewis said.
When a shelter finally opened earlier this year, Lewis said it lacked proper beds for transitional housing. Regions associates joined other community members to build beds, paint interior rooms and install landscaping. “It was important to create maintenance-free landscaping so United Way can focus more of their dollars on the services they provide and the clients they serve,” said Lewis.
The organization has transformed into the hub for all community issues in our area. United Way makes a huge difference in our community and that’s why I give and support them.
Bethany Lewis, Regions Jacksonville Branch Manager
The Martha’s Hope shelter is now up and running, providing emergency and transitional housing, wraparound services and case management that empowers clients to rebuild their lives with dignity and self-worth.
“I was on the UWECA board of directors for six years and I’m still involved in many committees,” Lewis said. “The organization has transformed into the hub for all community issues in our area. United Way makes a huge difference in our community and that’s why I give and support them.”
Other Regions teams have recently taken part in United Way volunteer events.
- A team of seven associates in Gadsden, Ala., participated in United Way of Etowah County’s Day of Caring by spending a day at Carlisle Elementary. The team weeded and cleaned up the school’s outdoor classroom by planting and adding mulch and gravel to paths and garden areas.
- Regions teams in Knoxville, Tenn., took part in United Way of Greater Knoxville’s Day of Caring by supporting Carecuts, an organization that provides free haircuts to unhoused and people in need. They also provide meals, clothing, basic grooming, transportation, housing rehabilitation referrals, job resources and more. Regions associates organized and labeled donated hygiene products, kitchen supplies and first aid essentials to be shared with clients.
- In Fort Smith, Ark., a Regions team supported The United Way of Fort Smith’s Day of Caring by working with the city’s parks and recreation department on a cleanup of the downtown area.
- United Way of Baldwin County hosted a Day of Caring in June. Mobile, Ala., Regions associates took part by volunteering at United Way partner agency, Baldwin Family Village. BFV is a transitional housing program that provides housing stability and wrap-around services for single women and women with children. The Regions team provided maintenance work at the facility, painting interiors and staining exterior woodwork.
Jill Bryars, Commercial Banking relationship manager at Regions Bank, serves as board chair for United Way of Baldwin County and organized the activity. “I enjoyed introducing my team to the mission of Baldwin Family Village and letting them see first-hand the incredible impact they are having in our area,” Bryars said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to give back, and I’m proud to be part of a company that values community engagement.”
- United Way of West Alabama’s Day of Action took place in the spring, and Tuscaloosa-based Regions associates took part by volunteering at Freedom Farm, a home for abused, abandoned, neglected and at-risk kids. The team cleaned the chapel, spruced up the landscaping and washed vans that transport the children.
- Regions Branch Manager Paige Lasyone organized a team of volunteers for United Way of Northwest Louisiana’s Day of Caring. The Shreveport-area associates packed boxes of food for the elderly and disabled at the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana. According to Lasyone, the team beat the record for the number of boxes packed in one day, with 12 pallets of food boxes to send out to the community.
“We have such an incredible group of people in the Northwest Louisiana market that love to volunteer and join in when asked for any event,” Lasyone said. “United Way is an important part of our community. On any given day I have at least five customers that benefit from a United Way program. Supporting this organization helps support our community members, our customers, and sometimes our own families.”
Supporting this organization helps support our community members, our customers, and sometimes our own families.
Paige Lasyone, Regions Louisiana Branch Manager
Day of Caring and Day of Action programs are not the only ways to support local United Way chapters. Last month, a group of 61 Birmingham-based associates that are part of the Regions Emerging Talent Program collaborated with United Way of Central Alabama and Priority Veteran, an assistance program focused on serving military veterans and their families who are homeless or at immediate risk of becoming homeless. The Regions associates packed 400 welcome home kits for formerly unhoused veterans that are moving into homes.
Regions is also working with the United Way of Central Alabama to help deliver their LEARN United program. As part of the Regions Skills in Service initiative, Regions specialists are conducting seminars to assist nonprofits manage their finances. Most recently, Finance Manager Amanda Saint led a seminar on nonprofit budget management.
Earlier this year, as part of Women’s History Month, Regions associates joined forces with United Way of Central Alabama’s Women United group to participate in the annual period supply drive. More than 45,000 hygiene products were donated to help combat period poverty for women and girls in the local community.
That was more than double the 2024 drive, according to Rachael Upton, Director of Volunteer Engagement at UWCA. “So many adolescent and young adult women struggle to consistently have the products they need, which leads to them missing school or wearing products far longer than is safe,” Upton said.
“This is an often-overlooked need in our communities. Our goal is to not only provide education and a space to have this conversation but provide accessibility to resources to those that so desperately need it. We are only able to do that with the help from all the volunteers and donors making it possible.”
To learn more about volunteering with United Way or its partner agencies, contact your local
United Way chapter.