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Columbia Bank, Fair Lawn, NJ

Entry Year: 2017
Entry Category: Community & Economic Development
Asset Size: Medium
Program Name: "Team Columbia"

Program Summary:

As a true community bank, Columbia Bank believes in supporting and participating in a myriad of local community-based endeavors. This year, Columbia will involve itself in at least 100 local programs, projects and events, supported by an impressive 100% employee participation commitment. Locally, the bank will also provide about $1 million in corporate donations and grant funding.

Whether building affordable housing for local Habitat for Humanity affiliates, painting classrooms at a school for handicapped children during their winter recess, raising funds to fight autism and birth defects in children, stocking empty food panty shelves or serving hot meals at a homeless shelter, Team Columbia volunteers are always willing to help out the many communities that they so proudly serve.

While Team Columbia members provide the “elbow grease,” experience and enthusiasm necessary to complete projects, the bank’s corporate donations and Foundation grants also represent an important revenue stream designed to assist civic and charitable causes so that they can continue to maintain existing service levels and/or introduce new programs that help satisfy additional community needs.

As Thomas Kemly, Columbia’s President and CEO, puts it, “There is a defined purpose to our support efforts…and that is to always make a positive difference in people’s lives.”