“This is our home. Regions has been in this community for a very long time,” said Christian White.
Those times include previous natural disasters. And the one we’re facing now.
White, who serves as market executive for Regions Bank in Mobile and South Alabama paused to reflect on what the area has been through since Hurricane Sally roared ashore. Homes damaged. Businesses flooded. The recovery has started; much more is ahead.
“We want to serve and support this community in every way that we can,” White said.
That includes the big things – like disaster-recovery financial services announced by Regions Bank to help people and businesses move forward. It also includes $150,000 in grants announced by the Regions Foundation, a nonprofit initiative of Regions Bank, which is supporting relief agencies along the Gulf Coast.
But it also includes what might seem like the little things – a shoulder to lean on, someone to listen, a neighbor who knows what you’re going through.
When we caught up with White, he and other Regions associates were delivering cases of water, boxes of snacks, and a rare find these days – hundreds of sanitizing wipes – for crews at Baldwin EMC and fellow electric cooperatives that are working tirelessly until every last home and businesses gets their lights back on.
“Once the storm rolls out of the region, the first thing that people start asking is, ‘How are we going to get power back?’” White shared. “And Baldwin EMC has worked with power crews and line crews from all over the Southeast to organize their effort around restoring power along the Gulf Coast.”
The delivery White and his colleagues made was simply a way to share Regions’ appreciation.
“Once everyone gets power back, it really allows for people and businesses to move to that next phase of the recovery,” he said.
And Regions will keep serving, too.
“This is our home. This is our community,” added Scott Barrow, market executive for Regions in Pensacola and Northwest Florida. “We’re reaching out to clients to see how we can help. And we have great relationships with nonprofits that are mobilizing resources and connecting with people in need.”
This is our home. This is our community.
Scott Barrow, market executive for Regions in Pensacola and Northwest Florida
Those relationships will translate into crucial support. In the coming days, Barrow will join United Way of Northwest Florida in a televised appeal for those who have the means to look for ways they can support long-term recovery.
“When a hurricane hits, it’s national news, and people see the challenges we’re facing on the coast,” Barrow said. “The headlines move on to the next story pretty quickly. But the needs remain. We’re not going anywhere. We’ll see our neighbors through.”
While some Regions branches suffered damage from Sally, all locations are now back open.
About Regions Foundation
The Alabama-based Regions Foundation supports community investments that positively impact 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.
About Regions Financial Corporation
Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF), with $144 billion in assets, is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation’s largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, and mortgage products and services. Regions serves customers across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates approximately 1,400 banking offices and 2,000 ATMs. Regions Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC. Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com.