From hospitals to after‑school clubs, Regions associates crisscrossed eight states to deliver over 3,000 digital tablets to children in the 2025 edition of the bank’s Miles of Smiles outreach.
Our annual Miles of Smiles tradition is all about spreading cheer through nonprofits we support and going the extra mile to help them make the season even brighter for those they serve. Kevin Crateau, Corporate Marketing Senior Business Partner
The gifts delivered to the young artists-in-the-making thanks to 23 nonprofits turned ordinary moments into extraordinary ones full of creativity, connection and holiday cheer.
“Our annual Miles of Smiles tradition is all about spreading cheer through nonprofits we support and going the extra mile to help them make the season even brighter for those they serve,” said Kevin Crateau of Corporate Marketing, whose team organized the first toy delivery in 2023.
Miles of Smiles has since become a staple in many Regions communities.
“We thought these tablets would be the perfect gift this year and a toy that would spark imagination and creativity,” Crateau said. “It didn’t take the children long to start drawing and show us their talents.”
Regions associates and nonprofit leaders delivered the gift tablets from Nov. 25 to Dec. 15. Teams visited children in a variety of settings in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas and Missouri — visiting schools, after-school clubs, children’s hospitals and other nonprofits for children and their families, such as Champions for Children.
The Tampa-based nonprofit seeks to prevent child abuse and neglect through its family education and support programs.
‘The Kids Were Overjoyed’
In New Orleans, the tablet gifts proved a perfect addition to KID smART’s mission to broaden arts opportunities for New Orleans public school students, said Executive Director Elise Goldman. The tablets went to students at the International School of Louisiana’s St. Roch campus.
“KID smART is thrilled to have Regions Bank as an ally in our work,” Goldman said. “This year’s gift was perfect for our students to be able to draft their work, brainstorm, sketch and use in academic classrooms.
“The bank’s generosity has brought so many benefits to our students,” she added. “Whether leading financial literacy workshops for our high school interns, supporting our annual fundraiser, or through the donation of these tablets during the holidays, the Regions team has stepped in as a truly fantastic supporter in our community.”
KID smART is thrilled to have Regions Bank as an ally in our work. Elise Goldman, Executive Director
Charlotte Kane, KID smART’s managing director of institutional giving, helped deliver the tablets.
“The kids were overjoyed!” she said. “Many of them couldn’t believe the surprise. Comments like ‘This is for me?’ ‘Can I open it?’ ‘I can keep this and take it home?’ were on repeat. It felt like playing Santa Claus for the morning!”
In Tennessee, Jackson Market Executive Ron Whisenant donned a Santa hat to not only deliver tablets to children at one Boys & Girls Club of Jackson location but to also award a $5,000 check to further support the nonprofit’s work.
Community Relationships
“What I enjoyed most was seeing the immediate impact the tablets had on the kids,” Whisenant said. “They leaped past excitement and went straight to joy. Moments like this are why the community relationships we build and the extraordinary experiences that come from them are so important. I believe I enjoyed it as much as the kids did!
“The staff at the Boys & Girls Club does an exceptional job creating a safe, supportive environment, and it was clear the tablets would be put to good use long after the delivery,” he added. “Being able to provide a $5,000 grant on top of the deliveries was a great addition to the Miles of Smiles moments created.”
Sabrina Jackson, CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of Jackson, loved how Regions’ 2025 gifts engage students.
Being able to provide a $5,000 grant on top of the deliveries was a great addition to the Miles of Smiles moments created.Ron Whisenant, Jackson Market Executive
“The doodle pads brought so much joy to our young people,” she said. “This gift opens up the opportunity for youth to develop their creative side. Boys & Girls Clubs may have another renowned artist on the way!”
Empowerment was also the order of the day in Alabama. Tablets went to Girls Inc., which helps girls reach their full potential, and to Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children, which seeks to provide high-quality compassionate and specialized healthcare for children.
“We are grateful for this support to bring more educational tools to our girls,” said Stephanie Moore, executive director of Girls. Inc. of Huntsville. “These tablets will spark creativity, learning and confidence.”
Amy George, director of development for Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children, said the gifts came at the perfect time.
“The Miles of Smiles program will certainly bring smiles to patients who will stay at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children over the holidays,” George said.
“The digital writing tablets have been a big hit — from our youngest patients to our teens — and will provide a creative outlet for these kids during their hospital stay. Thank you for making the holidays brighter for our pediatric patients!”
Check out all the smiles on Regions Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook and see this special slideshow of this year’s Miles of Smiles deliveries.