Vermont Business Magazine Community Bank’s community development program has been nationally recognized with a 2024 ABA Foundation Community Commitment Award from the American Bankers Association Foundation. Community Bank was chosen for its efforts in the volunteerism category and was presented with the award during ABA’s annual convention Oct. 29 in New York City.
In 2023, Community Bank broke records for volunteerism and philanthropic investments across its network of more than 200 branches in Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont and Western Massachusetts. Last year, more than 500 bank employees served on nonprofit boards and committees and spent more than 16,000 hours volunteering to help customers and community members.
The bank supported more than 2,100 organizations, and branches collected more than 5,600 nonperishable food items for 100 food banks. Community Bank also contributed $3.7 million in donations, grants and sponsorships, a nearly 24% increase in financial contributions from 2022.
Entries were submitted in seven categories: affordable housing, community and economic development, financial education, economic inclusion, protecting older Americans, supporting military families and volunteerism. Award winners were chosen by a field of nationally recognized experts in each field.
The selection committee chose the winning banks based on the creativity and thoughtfulness of programs — traditional or innovative in nature and structure — that embody the ideals of corporate social responsibility and demonstrate success in making an impact.
“Community Bank’s community development program demonstrated the extraordinary impact that banks can make in the communities they serve,” said Lindsay Torrico, executive director of the ABA Foundation. “We’re proud to recognize them as one of the 2024 Community Commitment Award winners and hope their efforts will inspire others throughout the industry.”
“There’s a reason ‘community’ comes before ‘bank’ in our name,” Community Bank Chief Human Resource & Administration Officer Maureen Gillan-Myer said. “Giving back to our community is embedded in our culture. Our team collectively strives to make a measurable impact on the communities we serve through more than just financial means and we’re honored to see those efforts recognized by the ABA Foundation.”
To learn more about the ABA Foundation Community Commitment Awards, visit aba.com/awards.
For more information on Community Bank’s checking and savings accounts, credit cards, mortgages, personal and business loans, and financial planning, visit cbna.com. Better banking starts with trust, and Community Bank is honored to have been recognized by Newsweek two years in a row as one of America’s Most Trusted Companies. Community Bank N.A. has consistently been ranked as one of America’s Best Banks and World’s Best Banks by Forbes magazine, and a Top Public Bank by S&P Global Market Intelligence.
About Community Financial System Inc.
Community Financial System Inc. is a diversified financial services company focused on four main business lines: banking, employee benefit services, insurance services and wealth management. Its banking subsidiary, Community Bank N.A., is among the country’s 100 largest banking institutions with over $15 billion in assets, and operates approximately 200 customer facilities across Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont and Western Massachusetts. The company’s Benefit Plans Administrative Services Inc. subsidiary is a leading provider of employee benefits administration, trust services, collective investment fund administration and actuarial consulting services to customers on a national scale. The company’s OneGroup NY Inc. subsidiary is a top-75 U.S. insurance agency. The company also offers comprehensive financial planning, trust administration and wealth management services through its Wealth Management operating unit. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and trades under the symbol CBU. Effective May 24, 2024, the company will trade under the name Community Financial System Inc. For more information about Community Bank and Community Financial System, visit cbna.com or communityfinancialsystem.com.
About the American Bankers Association
The American Bankers Association is the voice of the nation’s $23.9 trillion banking industry, which is composed of small, regional and large banks that together employ approximately 2.1 million people, safeguard $18.8 trillion in deposits and extend $12.5 trillion in loans.
About the ABA Foundation
Through its leadership, partnerships, and national programs, ABA’s Community Engagement Foundation (dba ABA Foundation), a 501(c)3, helps bankers provide financial education to individuals at every age, elevate issues around affordable housing and community development, and achieve corporate social responsibility objectives to improve the well-being of their customers and their communities.
Source: Dewitt, N.Y. — Community Bank
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