This year’s winners were selected from a list of nominated banks that have gone above and beyond with community service and have demonstrated an extraordinary level of commitment to the betterment of their communities. “We are proud of the significant commitment Illinois bankers continue to make by sharing their time and expertise to improve their communities and help change people’s lives,” said Randy Hultgren, President and CEO of the Illinois Bankers Association. “FNB Steeleville, Metropolitan Capital Bank & Trust, and People's Bank of Kankakee County have gone above and beyond to give back to the people and places they serve. We are proud to spotlight these banks for continuing the Illinois banking industry’s tradition of excellence in community service.”
Metropolitan Capital Bank & Trust
Our first recipient is Metropolitan Capital Bank & Trust. Examples of their 2023 Metropolitan Capital Philanthropic Enterprise (MCPE) community service projects include:
- For the 4th consecutive year, team members worked with Habitat for Humanity to construct homes in a developing neighborhood in Chicago. They put on their work clothes, nailed boards, painted walls, and performed other volunteer work to help create new homes for deserving families.
- They partnered with the Big Shoulders Fund to promote financial literacy. A $6,000 donation was made to sponsor two 8th grade classes competing with 50 other schools in the annual Stock Market Program. Team members met with students monthly to build stock portfolios and teach important lessons about finance and investing.
- They partnered with the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation (CPARF) for their STEP-tember awareness campaign. There were 36 team members who competed to log their steps and raise money for cerebral palsy research. As an organization, they took over 10 million steps and raised more than $1,500 for CPARF.
- They partnered with Chicago Children's Advocacy Center to help support students in the community. The team collected backpack donations and gathered to pack more than 80 backpacks full of school supplies for local students.
- They sponsored golf outings benefiting a local food pantry and students across 72 schools in Chicago.
- They partnered with Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) to provide meals developed by food science and nutrition professionals to severely mal- or undernourished children around the world. Volunteers hand-pack the components of these meals.
- They collected hundreds of pounds of food and a $5,000 donation for neighbors facing hunger during the holiday season.
People's Bank of Kankakee County
Our second recipient is Peoples Bank of Kankakee. Examples of their 2023 community service projects include:
- Contributing $95,172 to religious, educational, social service, health, youth sport, civic, and art initiatives.
- Employees made Valentines for veterans residing at the Illinois Veterans’ Home at Manteno.
- Since 2017, Peoples Bank has partnered with the local YMCA to sponsor the SPLASH Program. This lifesaving program offers swim lessons to every second grader in the Kankakee public school system.
- Over 2,400 children have developed an appreciation of the water, improved self-esteem, and learned to save themselves in case of an aquatic emergency.
- Since 1996, Peoples Bank has invested in the youth of Kankakee County through its Scholar Program. The program provides scholarships to area high school graduates who plan to attend the local Kankakee Community College or Olivet Nazarene University as an incoming freshman and then again as a returning sophomore.
- Peoples Bank hosts groups of high school students to discuss how banks work and the importance of financial goal setting, insurance basics and why insurance is vitally important, and the basics of taxes.
- They also celebrate the community together by walking in local town parades.
FNB Steeleville
Our third recipient is First National Bank of Steeleville. Examples of their community service projects include:
- Taking breakfast/lunches to their three local police depts for Law Enforcement Appreciation Day
- Hosting employee fun days to give monetary donations to American Cancer Society each October
- They award the Art Werre Jr. Scholarships to 6 students at three local schools each year. Scholarships are $1,000 each.
- Hosting Annual Free Shred Day to secure old documents and prevent fraud
- Hosting Casual for a Cause Day the last Friday of every month to support local food pantries
- First National Bank of Steeleville shares financial literacy with local school aged children
- They support 4H livestock shows, FFA programs and youth Trapshooting
- They collect Tunnels to Towers donations for First Responders who have lost their lives in the line of duty
- First National Bank of Steeleville celebrates and make charitable donations to the local Senior Center
- They make donations to the Honor Flight
- Employees volunteer at food pantries, sports concession stands, calling bingo at senior centers; collect coats, hats and canned goods for local children
Congratulations to all three banks: Metropolitan Capital Bank and Trust, Peoples Bank of Kankakee, and First National Bank of Steeleville on this well-deserved recognition!